Kailua Pork....

While here in Florida, I am making nightly dinners usually with a meat and two sides. Using the local supermarket, Publix, for last night’s dinner I had an old family favorite - we call Kailua Pork. This terrific recipe came out of the wonderful cookbook ~ Tea Time at The Masters® ~ and is so easy to prepare. For the sides I sautéed some fresh spinach and roasted a few fingerling potatoes.

I wanted to utilize some dill I had in mom’s fridge and saw a recipe in the community paper with dill, buttermilk with the roasted potatoes. So, I picked up some fingerling potatoes at Publix and gave it a try. If you haven’t tried fingerling potatoes yet, you really need to ~ they have a wonderful creamy and nutty flavor. Let me tell you, this recipe was delicious. I am thinking of using the dill sauce for other dishes as well. The sauce was creamy but light, earthy yet extremely flavorful.

Sautéed spinach is my favorite side dishe and I knew that my parents love spinach in any form. While sautéing the spinach, I put a touch of lemon zest knowing that the flavors go really well together.

Definitely give these recipes a try ~ they may become your family's favorite, too!



George's Kailua Pork

Ingredients:
5 pound center-cut pork loin roast
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons cooking sherry
1 large clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon thyme
¾ cup peach preserves
¼ cup chili sauce
1 cup water
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained

Marinate roast in sauce made from soy sauce, sherry, garlic, cinnamon and thyme for 2-3 hours, turning often. Place on rack in shallow pan and roast at 325 degree F for 30 to 35 minutes per pound. In a saucepan, combine reserved marinade, peaches, chili sauce and ½ cup water. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Baste pork and cook 10 additional minutes. Add remaining water and scrape up brown bits. Add pan juices and water chestnuts to sauce and heat through.

Let pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing, ladle sauce over slices.

Serves 6




Fingerling Potatoes with Sour Cream Herb Sauce
Recipe from Venice Herald-Tribune

Ingredients:
1 pound fingerling potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Preheat oven at 350 degree F
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the potatoes. Add the olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well. Cover the potatoes with another sheet of aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Take the cover off and bake for another 15 minutes. Take out and mix the minced garlic. Cook for another 6-7 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn.

Sour Cream and Herb Sauce
Ingredients:
½ cup low fat sour cream
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Zest of one lemon
Juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl and keep aside. Right before serving, mix the potatoes with the sauce.

Serves 6

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George's notes:

• Fingerling potatoes are a family of heritage potatoes which naturally grow much smaller than conventional potatoes. They also tend to be elongated and slightly knobby, making them very finger-like in shape. The unusual looking, flavorful potatoes can be used just like regular potatoes in an assortment of roasted, broiled, baked, grilled, or boiled dishes. Many grocers stock fingerling potatoes in season, and they can also be grown at home, in temperate climates.
• The Kailua in the name of this recipe is in "name only" ~ there is no Kahlua in this recipe, nor is there any Hawaiian affiliation. Maybe long ago, the sweet southern lady who developed this recipe thought water chestnuts were Hawaiian.
• The Masters® Golf tournament is played annually at the Augusta National Golf Club, in my hometown of Augusta, Georgia. This year it will be held April 8 thou 11, 2010.
• Roasting a boneless pork loin roast slowly will guarantee moist, tender meat. Loin refers to the type of cut.

Clip art of pork cuts from Ask The Meatman™

Celebration Pork...

I descend from a long line of entertainers. My family believes that the best way to demonstrate our affection for others is to throw a dinner party. From the time I learned to walk, I've passed hors d'oeuvres and daydreamed about the menus I would serve when I ruled my own roost.

Over the years, as I've experimented with any number of world cuisines and seasonings, the beef tenderloin has proven infinitely versatile. Another crowd-pleasing favorite is my pork roast stuff with apples & apricots and basted in a apple cider.

No matter whether I've given the roast a Hawaiian or a traditional Southwest makeover, it never fails to cast an aroma-therapeutic spell over the guests. The savory smells that waft into the living room over cocktail hour have the bewitching effect of advance-hyping the meal and inspiring chef-assisting offers that can carry over the whole night from plate running to bussing and dishwashing.

For a final and virtuously thrifty hurrah, there is no more appropriate way to honor the previous night's leftovers than to give it a second life as a homemade barbeque pork sandwiches; the added sweetness of the fruit really gives the barbeque sauce a tweak.

So, breakout the fine china & stemware give the house a quick clean and invite your dearest and nearest over for an evening of relaxed fine dinning and let the fun begin.



Apple-Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients
2 medium apple, chopped
2 cup, dried apricots, chopped
¾ cup bread crumbs
½ cup celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons golden raisins
4 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
4 tablespoons scallions, chopped including greens
¼ teaspoon Cardamom
¼ cup apple cider
2 pork tenderloin about 12 ounce each, trimmed
6 stripes of applewood cured bacon

Sauce:
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped

Stuffing: Combine the apples, apricots, bread crumbs, celery, raisins, walnuts, scallions and Cardamom together. Stir in the apple cider. Set aside.


Butterfly the pork tenderloin - make a single lengthwise cut down the center of the narrow edge, cutting to within ½ inch of the other side. Spread the meat open. At the center of the tenderloin, make one perpendicular slit to the right of the V and one to the left. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to ½ inch thickness.

Spread the stuffing over the meat. Roll up and wrap wit bacon stripe; then tie with string to secure. Brush the meat with apple cider.

In a 350 degree oven, place the meat in a roasting pan, uncovered, and roast for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink. Baste the meat once after 30 minutes of cooking.

Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider, cornstarch, cinnamon and apricots. Over medium-high heat cook; stirring until thickened and bubbling.

Serve 3 one-inch slices with the sauce over top.

Serves 6

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George’s notes:

• As with all animals that walk on four legs, the tenderloin refers to the muscle along the central spine portion, which more or less hangs between the shoulder blade and hip socket. This is the most tender part of the animal, because the muscles that support the inner organs are not used for locomotion.
• Although often thought of as a "subtropical" fruit, this is actually false – the apricot is native to a continental climate region with cold winters, although it can grow in Mediterranean climates very well. The tree is slightly more cold-hardy than the peach, tolerating winter temperatures as cold as −30 °C or lower if healthy.
• Dreaming of apricots, in English folklore, is said to be good luck. But for American tank-driving soldiers, apricots are taboo, by superstition. Tankers will not eat apricots, allow apricots onto their vehicles, and often will not even say the word "apricot". This superstition stems from Sherman tank breakdowns purportedly happening in the presence of cans of apricots.

Dover Sole...

In my quest to eat more fish and seafood, here is one of the simplest sole recipes I could find. Dover Sole is regarded the Rolls-Royce of the fish world. It is the tastiest variety of the sole family with its firm, deliciously delicate flesh. Dover sole has a thick but flat body with a flesh that tastes clean, light and sweet. It has long been a favorite in French cuisine, but it is also an American classic and a fish that is popular in most restaurants.

Sole is a dream to work with in the kitchen, holding together well during cooking. The darker skin can be peeled off with little effort to reveal a thick flesh that can be easily filleted. It is incredibly versatile and can be baked, fried, poached or grilled.

This is a deliciously light dish but packed full of flavors. The capers that I added brings a nice bit of acidity along with the wine without over-powering the rest of the dish. I sautéed some fresh spinach to act as a bed for the sole; which also helps to absorb the sauce.



Baked Dover Sole

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
2 Dover sole fillets, about 12 oz each
½ cup white wine
¼ cup capers, drained
1½ pound fresh baby spinach
pinch cayenne pepper
chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degree F. Butter a roasting pan so that you can lay the Dover sole side by side.

Pour the wine over the fish and dot any remaining butter over the top. Season with a twist or two of fresh ground black pepper.

Bake for about 20 minutes - the fish should just come away from the bone.
Remove and keep warm.

While the fish is cooking, sauté the spinach in a little olive oil until wilted.

When you have removed the fish from the roasting pan, add the capers and cayenne pepper to the cooking juices. Heat until the capers are warmed through.

Stir in the parsley and then serve the Dover sole over the sautéed spinach with some buttered Fingerling potatoes ~ ladling the caper sauce over the Dover sole.

This is the simplest of sole recipes - you could substitute any flat fish here - try flounder, lemon sole, tilapia - anything really.

Serves 2

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George’s notes:

• Dover sole is the most delectable of the flatfish, which is quite surprising once you know that it spends most of its life buried shallowly in the sand gazing up at its prey, which consists of sea worms and tiny marine organisms of the sea bed. Its gaze, of course, is another weird thing. Like all flatfish it begins life as a regular little fry, with eyes on either side of its spine, and ends up as an adult with both eyes on one side and its mouth rather askew.
• The salted and pickled caper bud is often used as a seasoning or garnish. Capers are a common ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, especially Italian. The mature fruit of the caper shrub is also prepared similarly, and marketed as caper berries.
• Capers are pickled or boiled and preserved in jars with brine cf. caper buds. Caper leaves are excellent in salads and in fish dishes. Dried caper leaves are also used as a substitute for rennet in the manufacturing of high quality cheese.

Mongolian Beef...

The Year of the Tiger began Sunday, February 14th and was brought in with fireworks shows around the world. While I am not Chinese, I have an appreciation for the variety of styles and flavors that Chinese cooking encompasses. I recently received a copy of Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking for my birthday.

Eileen’s book is filled with specialty recipes that range from the familiar to the completely new: Wuxi Braised Pork Ribs, Fujian Red Rice Wor Bah, XO Sauce, Mu Shu Pork, and Beijing Baked Breads, to name a few. What is helpful, each section is accompanied by its own shopping list, techniques, and basic recipes.

For the ultimate payoff of delicious food, you'll need patience and perseverance; the book demands dedication. Then again, if Chinese cuisine were so easy to master, would Lo have devoted more than 300 pages to the topic? In the words of James Beard, who is quoted in the book: "In all the world there is only two really great cuisines: the Chinese and the French. China's…is the most complicated cuisine; it uses ingredients no other employs; and it is distinctive in that, for the most part, it is cuisine à la minute."

My challenge is to try a wide variety of her recipes and see if my taste buds can handle some of the hotter dishes. I decided last night to start in Mongolia with a modest spicy taste. It turned out quite delicious and an easy recipe to follow.

Here's wishing everyone a prosperous new year: Gong Xi Fa Cai!



Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:
1 pound flank steak
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
4 garlic cloves; finely minced
6 whole green onions
12 small dried red chilies, crushed
¼ cup Peanut oil

Wok Sauce
1 teaspoon minced tangerine zest
⅓ cup freshly-squeezed tangerine juice
¼ cup Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cut the flank steak lengthwise into ¼ -inch-wide strips. Cut the strips in half. In a small bowl, combine the flank steak with the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, and garlic. Mix thoroughly to coat flank steak. Cover and refrigerate the flank steak for at least 15 minutes but not longer than 8 hours.

Cut the green onions on a sharp diagonal into 1½ -inch lengths. Combine and set aside the green onions and the dried chilies.

Set aside the peanut oil.

In a small bowl, combine the wok sauce ingredients and set aside.

All advance preparation may be completed up to 8 hours before you begin the final cooking steps.

Place a wok over the highest heat. When the wok is very hot, add half the cooking oil. Roll the oil around to coat the inside, and when the oil gives off just a wisp of smoke, add the flank steak. Stir and toss the flank steak until it loses its raw exterior color, about 1 minute. Immediately transfer the flank steak to a plate.

Immediately return the wok to the highest heat. Add the remaining peanut oil and, when the oil is hot, add the green onions and chilies. Stir and toss until the green onions brighten, about 2 minutes.

Stir the wok sauce, and pour into the wok. Return the flank steak to the wok, stir and toss until all the ingredients are glazed with sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Immediately transfer the stir-fry to a heated platter or 4 heated dinner plates and serve.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• Mongolian cuisine refers to the local culinary traditions of Mongolia and styled dishes. The extreme continental climate has affected the traditional diet, so the Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of dairy products, meat, and animal fats. Use of vegetables and spices is limited. Due to geographic proximity and deep historic ties with China and Russia, Mongolian cuisine is also influenced by Chinese and Russian cuisine.
• With the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Mongolia under the Bogd Khaan declared independence in 1911. However, the equally newly established Republic of China claimed Mongolia as part of its own territory.
• Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions. Ancient Chinese New Year is a reflection on how the people behaved and what they believed in the most.

General Tso’s Chicken...

Last night I was craving Chinese, which I often do ~ especially if I have not had it in a while. So, I thought why not General Tso’s. Despite the fact that General Tso’s Chicken is not really a Chinese dish, it is nevertheless one of the most popular dishes at Chinese restaurants. You may be surprised that General Tso's is very inexpensive to make, but some restaurants charge a premium for it, usually putting it with "Chef's Specialties" and the like on the menu, rather than with the ordinary chicken dishes.

Some may be asking, how did this non-Chinese dish get its name. Well, what I could find out; General Zou Zong-Tang was a general of the Qing (Manchu) Dynasty of China, responsible for suppressing Muslim uprisings. His name was used to frighten Muslim children for centuries after his death. It is questionable whether or not the General actually invented General Tso's Chicken . . . it seems more likely to have been the invention of Taiwanese immigrants to the United States and Europe, and then according to some folks who've done some poking into that side of the history, popularized it at New York City restaurants in the 1970s. Alternate spellings include General Cho, General Zo, General Zhou, General Jo, and General Tzo. It's pronounced "Djo," with the tongue hard against your teeth.

Here is an easy recipe I found some years ago in my local newspaper, The Ridgefield (CT) Press on how to make your own.



General Tso’s Chicken

Ingredients:
3 boneless chicken breast, cubed
3 eggs, beaten
½ cup and 2 teaspoon cornstarch, divided
5 dried pepper pods
1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons rice wine
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1½ cups broccoli, separate into short stem and florets

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish

In a large bowl, thoroughly blend the ½ cup of cornstarch and the eggs; add the chicken and toss to coat. If the mixture bonds too well, add some vegetable oil to separate the pieces.

In a small bowl, prepare the sauce mixture by combining the 2 teaspoons cornstarch with the wine, vinegar, sugar and soy sauce.

Heat 1-2 inches of peanut oil in a wok to medium-high heat (350-400 degrees F). Fry the chicken in small batches, just long enough to cook the chicken through. Remove the chicken to absorbent paper. This step can be performed well in advance, along with the sauce mixture, with both refrigerated.

Leave a tablespoon or two of the oil in the wok. Add the pepper pods to the oil and stir-fry briefly, awakening the aroma but not burning them. Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry until the pieces are crispy brown.

Add the sauce-mixture, broccoli and sesame seeds to the wok, tossing over the heat until the sauce caramelizes into a glaze and the broccoli is tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately along with steamed white rice.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• In my remarks on the recipe, "The Ridgefield Press reported that the basis for this recipe was compiled from over forty different versions of the dish, combining the best aspects of each, averaging sauce ratios, and simplifying the basic dish to it's core ingredients."
• The traditional sauce for General Tso's is a heavy, spicy glaze, different from the lighter broth-based sauces found on most other Chinese dishes. Some prefer a lighter Tso sauce, too, and this can be achieved by tripling the cornstarch in the sauce and adding a half-cup of fluid. The "fluid" can be chicken broth, water, or even fruit juice ~ both orange and pineapple have been used. Cook the sauce only 'til it thickens, instead of waiting for a glaze. This version of the sauce is actually more common in the local restaurants; if you're a Tso fan, it might be what you're used to.

Creamy Shrimp & Grits...

To a Southerner, eating grits is practically a religion. And breakfast without grits is unthinkable in some households. A true grit lover would not consider instant or quick-cooking grits; only long-cooking stone-ground grits are worth eating. But I confess, I do in a pinch use instant grits.

Outside of the southern states I have found the reaction to grits is mixed. Most have never had them or if they have; they were tasteless pools of soupy mush.

Grits are served as a side dish for breakfast or dinner and are traditionally eaten with lots of melted butter. Three-quarters of the grits sold in the United States are from a group of coastal states stretching from Louisiana to the Carolinas, known as the "Grits Belt."

In the Low Country of South Carolina and particularly Charleston, shrimp and grits has been considered a basic breakfast for coastal fishermen and families for decades. Simply called 'breakfast shrimp," the dish consisted of a pot of grits with shrimp cooked in a little bacon grease or butter. During the past decade, this dish has been dressed up and taken out on the town to the fanciest restaurants. Not just for breakfast anymore, it is also served for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

Here is my favorite recipe and last night I enjoyed a large bowl; which not only tasted great, but it chased away the cold damp winter weather we have been having here in the Southeast.



Creamy Shrimp & Grits

Ingredients:
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined*
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups water
1½ cups hot stock (shrimp, chicken, or vegetable)
¼ cup butter
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup stone-ground grits**
¾ cup grated cheddar
¼ cup parmesan
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
6 bacon slices
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 green onion, sliced for garnish

* To add flavor, place the shells of the shrimp in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over low heat approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the broth, discarding shells. Add shrimp broth to hot stock.

** If using quick-cooking grits (not instant), reduce cream to ½ cup and reduce stock to 1 cup.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, combine cream, water, and hot stock; bring to a gentle boil. Add butter salt, and pepper. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly ~ so that the grits do not settle to the bottom and scorch, until all are added; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally ~ be careful not to scorch mixture, or until the grits are tender. Whisk in cheddar, parmesan, and 1 tablespoon butter and season with salt; cover and set aside.

NOTE: The grits should have absorbed all of the liquid and become soft and should have the same consistency as oatmeal ~ moist, not dry. If the grits become too thick, add warm stock or water to thin. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle shrimp with lemon juice, salt, and pepper; set aside. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until brown but not crisp. Remove from heat and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.

Coarsely chop bacon when cool. Reserve 4 tablespoons bacon grease in the frying pan. Add onion, garlic, and sliced mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes or until the onion is transparent. Add shrimp mixture and bacon; sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp are opaque in center. Remove from heat.

To serve, spoon hot grits onto individual serving plates and top with shrimp mixture. Garnish with sliced green onion.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• In 1976, South Carolina declared grits the official state food: “Whereas, throughout its history, the South has relished its grits, making them a symbol of its diet, its customs, its humor, and its hospitality, and whereas, every community in the State of south Carolina used to be the site of a grist mill and every local economy in the State used to be dependent on its product; and whereas, grits has been a part of the life of every South Carolinian of whatever race, background, gender, and income; and whereas, grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this State, but also the world.”
• The Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: "An inexpensive, simple, and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace."

Tuna Cakes...

Some time ago, I found a delicious alternative to crab cakes ~ baked seafood cakes made out of tuna. They are great for a light supper or a first course appetizer. These cakes are fast and delicious by combining pantry staples with flavor-packed ingredients to create a budget-friendly meal that tastes like a 5-star restaurant entrée. Tuna has come a long way since its sole role in the can. These days it can be found canned in a variety of flavors and pre-marinated in pouches. These sweet and tangy cakes are packed with wonderful flavors and has omega 3 in the tuna that is good for ones health. I usually serve them with a Citrus Mayonnaise and a wedge of lime.



Tuna Cakes

Ingredients:
1 pound new potatoes, skin on
1 can (6.5 oz) Albacore Tuna
~ packed in water, drained
½ cup carrot, grated
¾ cup zucchini, grated
½ cup asiago cheese, grated
½ cup cornmeal flour
3 tablespoon canola oil

Cut potatoes into quarters, put in a saucepan with cold salted water and bring to the boil. Once soft, drain water and mash potatoes with the skin on.

In a large mixing bowl add remaining ingredients except the oil. Then add potato mash to tuna mixture, season with salt and pepper then fold ingredients together until well combined.

Shape patties using your hands - I use a ¼ cup measurement for each patty.

Heat a large frying pan; add oil and once heated, place the patties in the oil and fry until golden brown. Cook the patties in several batches for best results.

Makes about 10 patties

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Citrus Mayonnaise

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoon milk
1½ teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

Combine ingredients and chill.

Makes about ½ cup

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George’s notes:

• I like to leave the skin on new potatoes because it is so thin and holds all the nutrients- and my kids never notice.
• For variety, mix up your veggies ~ I have used a ¾ cup of kernel corn, instead of the zucchini. If you like sweet potato, make a sweet potato mash for something different.

Crêpes...

I have a dear friend who has inspired me many times over for her culinary skills and her desire to always prepare a special meal for her guest. She is known by her son-in law, as Queenie, only because she deserves the honor & respect that that title implies. Below I offer two of her recipes that not only impress, but always personify elegant dining.

In my younger and more affluent years I would seek out fine dining venues and savor the visual delights of food preparation and service. Memories of Brennan’s in New Orleans, The Russian Tea Room & Tavern on the Green in New York City, Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City and London's Savoy are filled with flambées! French Service, tableside service, cart service - whatever one wishes to call it - meant seeing your menu orders going through their final preparation right alongside your table. Working from a wheeled special cart fitted with a réchaud flaming lamp (camping store or hot plate), the maître d'hôtel, or head of room would generate tantalizing aromas, sounds of bubbling and sizzling to match, and the sudden flash and flame of a dash of cognac and lastly the presentation of your plate with its culinary treasures. At times, I also would venture out to The Magic Pan in Atlanta for a more casual ‘flash & flame’.

When you have dined like this, you have been pampered and your palette graced!

What does all that have to do with my friend, Queenie ~ you ask? One of her most popular recipes to offer her guest with finesse table side expertize is Crêpes Suzette ~ a dessert created by accident by Henri Carpentier, chef to Edward, Prince of Wales, while making a complicated crêpe sauce. This sauce was a blend of orange and lemon peels, sugar, butter, Grand Marnier, Cointreau and Kirschwasser. By accident, the cordial caught fire and the young chef thought both he and the sauce were ruined. Since it was impossible to start over, Henri tasted the sauce and found it to be delicious. He quickly put the crêpes into the sauce, added more cordials, and let the sauce burn again. Edward was delighted and named it after the lady with whom he was dining.

Here my friend has taken the simple crêpe and made it an easy, yet elegant item to be served at breakfast, lunch, casual dinner or for those special formal dinner parties.



Crêpes Suzette

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1½ cups milk
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs

Suzette Sauce
⅓ cup orange juice
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon grated orange peel
Grand Marnier

In medium bowl with wire whisk, beat butter and remaining crêpe ingredients until smooth. Chill 2 hours.

Brush bottom of 7 inch crêpe pan and 10 inch skillet with melted butter.
Over medium heat, heat pans; pour scant ¼ cup patter into crêpe pan to coat bottom; cook 2 minutes until top is set, underside slightly browned.

Loosen crêpe; invert into hot 10 inch skillet; cook other side 30 seconds.
Slip crêpe onto waked paper.

Meanwhile, start cooking another crêpe. Stack crêpes between waxed paper.
Use immediately or wrap in foil and refrigerate. Approx 30 minutes before serving, Prepare Suzette sauce: In 10 inch skillet over low heat combine the orange juice, butter, sugar and orange peel until butter melts.

Serving:

Fold crêpes in quarters; arrange in the warmed Suzette sauce in the skillet; simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour the Grand Marnier evenly over the crêpes and sauce. DO NOT STIR.
Heat the Grand Marnier a minute or two, then remove from stove. Light a long match (such as those used to light kindling in a fireplace). Apply match to the crêpes and sauce in the skillet. Serve crêpes and sauce immediately.

Serves 2

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For those who like a fabulous rich cream sauce, look no further. Here a simple sherry reduction is all you need to add a dynamic touch to your sauce.

Sherried Cream Mushroom Crêpes

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup flour
¼ cup water
1 small bottle vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 (8 oz.) packages sliced, white button mushrooms
1 cup dry cooking sherry
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch salt and pepper
1 bunch minced parsley

To make crêpes:

Whisk together eggs and milk in a bowl. Add flour and beat until smooth and a little frothy. Stir in water, 1 tablespoon of oil, a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth. Let batter rest for 15 minutes.

Heat a lightly oiled crêpe pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour about ¼ cup batter in pan and tilt the pan with a circular motion so the batter coats the bottom surface in a thin even layer.

Cook the crêpe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Gently flip the crêpe over and cook the other side for about 30 seconds until brown spots appear. Remove from heat and repeat the process with remaining batter. Cover crêpes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days until ready to use. Warm slightly in the microwave before adding filling and serving to guests.

To make Sherried Cream Mushrooms:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes. Add sherry and cook until sherry reduces to half, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream. Cook for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Plate the crêpes directly on guests' plates for serving. Place a crêpe on the plate and spoon mushrooms and sauce inside. Fold crêpe, spoon a bit of sauce on top, and garnish with minced parsley. Add 2 mores crêpe with filling to the plate so each guests gets 3 crêpes. Serve hot.

Makes about 20 crêpes

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George’s notes:

• The Magic Pan was an American chain of full-service restaurants specializing in crêpes, popular in the late 1970s through early 1990s.
• In France, crêpes are traditionally served on Candlemas ~ La Chandeleur, February 2. This day was originally Virgin Mary's Blessing Day but became known as "avec Crêpe Day", referring to the tradition of offering crêpes. The belief was that if you could catch the crêpe with a frying pan after tossing it in the air with your left hand and holding a gold coin in your right hand, you would become rich that year. ~ now that is my kind of trick to get rich!
• In the United Kingdom, crêpes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, also known as "Pancake Tuesday". They are generally associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foodstuffs such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent.

Hot Sausage Spaghetti with Fennel...

If you've never cooked with fennel, you're not alone. For years, I avoided the bulbous green and white vegetable labeled "sweet anise" because I associated it with black licorice. Who in their right mind would want to taste black licorice at the dinner table?

But then I learned anise and "sweet anise" are two very different things. Anise is a pungent pint-sized herb; while "sweet anise" — or fennel — is a hearty vegetable with a thick, bulbous base and celery-like stems that grow upward to 5 feet tall. It has a sweeter, more delicate flavor than anise.

Fennel's subtle flavor works just fine on its own, but does wonders when combined with other foods. Indeed, fennel's strength may be its power to blend and enhance other flavors. Tuna tastes more tuna-like when cooked with fennel. A simple salad of oranges, red onion and lemon vinaigrette has more zing with the addition of crunchy, raw fennel. Grilled sea bass becomes emblematic of Mediterranean cuisine when stuffed with lemon slices and fennel fronds.

The fennel in the produce section of a grocery store is Florence fennel, or finocchio. On top are fragrant emerald fronds that look much like dill. Below are stout stalks that resemble celery and shoot upward like fingers being counted. The edible white "bulb" is actually not a bulb at all, but tightly stacked leaves that unpack like the base of a celery stalk.

Though all parts of the Florence fennel are edible, the stalks tend to be fibrous, like celery, while the fronds can have an anise intensity that might turn off some people. The thick white leaves of the base offer the most versatile use. When cooked, the leaves become supple; the same way onions lose their firmness, and retain only a faint hint of anise.

If you have never tried fennel as a vegetable, you've almost certainly tasted it in its other form: a spice. The greenish-brown seeds from the variety called common fennel are used to season Italian sausages, meaty stews and rustic breads. When ground up, the spice is used in rubs for fish, pork and lamb dishes and in other spice mixes. Fennel spice also is a key ingredient in Indian curries and is one of the five essential spices in Chinese five-spice powder.

And if all this isn't enough, this versatile vegetable has been used throughout history to cure stomach ailments, help freshen breath and fight weight gain. It also is high in vitamin C.

So if, like me, you've passed fennel by in the produce section, take a second look. It helped make last nights dinner a real treat.



Hot Sausage Spaghetti with Fennel

Ingredients
1 lb. Spaghetti, or other long pasta shape
6 links or patties hot Italian Sausage
3 fennel bulbs
2 lemons
1 tbsp, minced garlic
1 tbsp. Sweet and hot mustard
4 oz. freshly grated Parmesan
½ cup slivered blanched almonds, lightly toasted

Prepare pasta according to package directions, drain.

While pasta is cooking, in heavy 3 quart sauté pan over medium heat, brown sausage whole according to package directions, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel to drain, cut crosswise into ¼ -inch thick slices. Return sausage to pan to brown on both sides, turning frequently, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel. Drain all but 1 tbsp. Drippings from pan and remove from heat.

To prepare fennel, trim stalks to within 1 inch of bulb. Finely chop feathery leaves to yield 1 cup, set aside and discard stalks. Cut off and discard bulb base. Cut bulb lengthwise into halves, then crosswise into ¼ -inch thick slices (about 3 cups).

To prepare fennel gramolata, in a small bowl, grate peel from both lemons, stir in chopped fennel leaves and garlic, set aside. Juice lemons in a separate bowl, stir in mustard and set aside.

Return pan to medium heat. Saute sliced fennel bulb until crisp/tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice mixture and sausage.

In a large serving bowl, combine pasta, fennel, sausage, and Parmesan; toss to mix well. Spoon fennel gremolata and almonds atop. Toss to incorporate just before serving.

Serves 8

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George’s notes:

• Fennel is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses. For adults, fennel seeds or tea can relax the intestines and reduce bloating caused by digestive disorders. Also, it is known to improved the milk supply of a breastfeeding mother.
• Gremolata, an Italian garnish of raw, fine chopped garlic, parsley and lemon zest. It's usually sprinkled over slow-cooked braised meats, as in the Italian dish osso bucco, but it makes a good garnish for grilled fish, chicken and pasta too. The variation in this recipe substitutes fennel fronds for the parsley, sliced fennel bulb in place of the garlic, and orange rind in place of lemon.
• To prepare fennel, wash with cold water. Cut off the feathery fronds and tubular stalks; the greenery can be used as a garnish or snipped like dill and added as a last-minute flavor enhancer. Discard the stalks or use the tender, less-fibrous stems for soups, stocks, or in place of diced celery. Reserve the fronds for garnish. Trim the base and remove any discolored layers. Usually the outer layer of the bulb should be discarded, as it can be stringy and tough (save it for stocks). Cut the bulb in half lengthwise. If there’s a large core at the base, remove it with a small paring knife. Cut the fennel into wedges through the core end (this will hold the slices together), or cut crosswise into thin slices. Fennel can also be shaved into paper-thin slices with a vegetable peeler.

Ravioli Lasagna...

Lasagna, when properly made, is a feast for the senses. The sight and smell of a cheesy, bubbly lasagna coming out of the oven has been known to make the knees of strong men go a little wobbly at times, and the diabolically addictive layering of flavors has been responsible for more than a few loosened belts. Unfortunately, while truly wonderful, a proper lasagna is also time-consuming and surprisingly expensive to make. This version uses ravioli, which combines the pasta and ricotta in one step, and uses a jar sauce to save time. I kept it pretty basic, but there’s a lot of room for making this recipe your own, depending on what you like or what you have at hand. You can use ground turkey or chicken in place of the ground beef, and even toss in some smoked sausage or bacon. This lasagna goes together very quickly, feeds a crowd economically and will satisfy your lasagna longings in no time flat!

I have also submitted this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights which was started by Ruth Daniels at Once Upon a Feast - Every Kitchen Tells It's Stories. I understand that this is week #148 of the Presto Pasta Nights series ~ that is amazing work, Ruth! This week's guest host is Chaya at Sweet & Savory, so give her site a look. She always has some creative treats in healthier eating and in new methods of cooking.



Ravioli Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 - 26 oz jar quality pasta sauce
½ cup water
1½ lb whole milk mozzarella, grated
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 - 25 oz packages frozen cheese ravioli

In a large pot, set 6 quarts of salted water on to boil.

Meanwhile, cook the ground beef with the garlic in a large saucepan until just done, breaking the beef into small pieces as it cooks. Drain off the excess oil and stir in the sauce. Shake ½ cup of water in the sauce jar and pour the water into the saucepan. Cover and bring to a simmer.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the cheeses and the minced parsley and set aside.

Cook the ravioli according to package directions; drain and rinse.

To assemble: Coat a 9 X 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray and spoon a little sauce in the bottom. Place a single layer of ravioli in the pan, overlapping slightly; then top with a third of the remaining sauce and a third of the cheese/parsley mix. Repeat the ravioli/sauce/cheese layers, adding some additional grated cheese to the top layer, if you wish.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

Serves 8
__________

George’s notes:

• The history of ravioli is quite old. The earliest evidence we have of ravioli in the Mediterranean is found in the statutes of the Cathedral of Nice in 1233, which report of crosete sui rafiole' ~ “a ravioli pie.”
• 15th century Italian Ravioli recipe: "Ravioli ~ Get a pound and a half of old cheese and a little new creamy cheese, and a pound of porkbelly or loin of veal that should be boiled until well cooked, then grind it up well; get well ground fragrant herbs, pepper, cloves, ginger and saffron, adding in a well ground breast of capon, and mix in all of this together; make a thin dough and wrap nut-sized amounts of the mixture in it; set these ravioli to cook in the fat broth of a capon or of some other good meat, with a little saffron, and let them boil for half an hour; then dish them out, garnishing them with a mixture of grated chreese and good spices." ---The Neapolitan Recipe Collection, Cuoco Napoletano

Fried Chicken & Corn Pudding

When Mrs. Wilkes opened a small Savannah, Georgia boarding house way back in 1943, there was no way she could have possibly known that same establishment would be operating nearly 67 years later. It has been a long and storied journey for the “Queen of Home Cooking.” During those many years of serving fried chicken and legendary Southern hospitality, Mrs. Wilkes has fed more folks than anyone dares to guess.

One of my favorite cookbooks is written by southern food guru and writer, John T. Edge, who has capture many of her classic recipes for future generations to savor in “Mrs. Wilkes’ Boardinghouse Cookbook”. This book combines recipes and memories of the 95 year-old matriarch of a true Southern culinary landmark.

Visitors to Mrs. Wilkes’ Boarding House are seated family-style at oversized oak tables covered with an array of country cooking - soft whorls of mashed sweet potatoes, black-eyed peas swimming in potlikker, creamed Irish potatoes spiked with mustard, collard greens, squash casserole, creamed corn, stewed okra; and platter after platter of crusty fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, and rosy, country-cured ham. And Mrs. Wilkes would give grace before anyone touched the first bite. After all, she would say, “your belly is about to have a religious experience!” The fried chicken is especially heavenly. “If the Colonel made it so good” joked Mrs. Wilkes, “he would have been made a general.”

If you wish to enjoy a mid-day meal at Mrs. Wilkes’ Boardinghouse, I suggest you get there early. Reservations are not accepted and the lines at noon can sometimes extend a block or so down the street. Although they do virtually no advertising and there is no visible signage out front, this place is not exactly a big secret any more. But believe me, it is well worth the journey to and a brief 15-30 minute wait under the shady live oaks that line the sidewalk. The restaurant, located in Savannah’s historic district, is open Monday - Friday for breakfast and lunch. Call them at 912 232-5997 or visit Mrs. Wilkes online at www.mrswilkes.com ~ dress is casual.

Yesterday, I prepared two of my favorite dishes from this renown Southern culinary restaurant and here there are...

Mrs. Wilkes’ Fried Chicken
from Mrs. Wilkes' Boardinghouse Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 (2½ -pound) fryer, cut up
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
2 tablespoons water
All-purpose flour
Vegetable oil

Sprinkle the fryer with salt and pepper. Pour the milk and water over the fryer and marinate for about 10 minutes. Dip in a bowl of all-purpose flour. Shake off the excess flour. Heat oil to 300 degree F and deep-fry or heat oil to medium and panfry the chicken. Make sure the chicken is covered with oil at all times. Fry until golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6

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Mrs. Wilkes' Corn Pudding
from Mrs. Wilkes' Boardinghouse Cookbook

Ingredients:
1 lb can cream style corn
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
3 eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup milk

Mix in order given, pour into well greased casserole. Bake at 350 degree F for 1 hour.

Serves 6 to 8

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George’s notes:

• In 1943, Mrs. Wilkes bought a nondescript turn-of-the-century boardinghouse with a modest goal: to make a living by offering comfortable lodging and southern home cooking served family style in the downstairs dining room. Her reputation was strong and business brisk from the beginning, but it was the coverage in Esquire and the New York Times, and a profile on David Brinkley's evening news that brought southern food lovers from all over the world to her doorstep.
• The line now snakes out the front door and onto the street, where along with the locals and visitors, it is not uncommon to find former President Jimmy Carter or Alton Brown, among other familiar faces, waiting for their turn at Mrs. Wilkes' table.
• Mrs. Wilkes's Boarding House is one of those "1,000 Places To See Before You Die" kind of places.
• One diner's instructions on how to find Mrs. Wilkes': "Walk along West Jones Street until you smell fried chicken."
• The two photographs were taken several years ago when I stopped by Mrs. Wilkes for lunch. I might add, it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten.

Margarita Grouper...

In my quest to eat more fish and seafood, I'd have to say a fresh grouper filet is my absolute favorite. It is a mild fish and this recipe will entice even those who don't like fish to make it a favorite. This recipe is super easy and can be served with a minimum preparation and cooking time.

Grouper is a firm white fish found in coastal waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. The average size of a grouper ranges from 5-15 pounds. This fish is a member of the sea bass family and lends itself to a variety of cooking methods ~ grilling, broiling and poaching ~ due to its firm texture. In the Caribbean, the giant grouper is the most common; other delicious varieties are found near the Florida coast.



Margarita Grouper
adapted from an entrée at The Crow's Nest Venice, FL

Ingredients:
4 6-ounce grouper fillets
⅓ cup tequila
½ cup orange liqueur
¾ cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 pinch white sugar
salt to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
ground black pepper to taste

Place fillets in a shallow baking dish. In a bowl, stir together the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic, and olive oil. Reserve ½ cup marinade and set aside. Pour remaining marinade over fillets; cover and refrigerate for ½ hour turning the fillets once.

For the salsa: combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and sugar in a medium bowl; season to taste with salt and set aside.

Preheat your grill pan on medium-high heat. Remove fillets from marinade, brush tops with oil and season with black pepper. Grill fillets for 4 to 5 minutes per side until center is opaque and meat flakes easily with a fork.

Transfer fillets to serving plates. In a small saucepan, heat reserved marinade to a simmer; remove from heat and set aside. Drizzle warm marinade over the fillets and serve with salsa.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• If you can't find grouper, substitute red snapper or cod fillets.
• The skin of the Grouper should be removed prior to cooking due to its strong flavor.

Chowders...

Most of us think of chowders as heavy fare, suitable for hunkering down ~ while a winter storm rages outside. In fact, that is exactly how American chowder started in the fishing camps of New England.

But there is no real reason chowders should be limited to a particular season. The word, actually, can be applied to any thick, rich soup containing large pieces of substance. ~ I also think, despite the claims of some who prefer Manhattan Chowder, that chowder is typified by the inclusion of milk or cream, which automatically provides richness.

Given such a simple definition, chowders can take advantage of whatever ingredients you have on hand. Potatoes and cheese are good choices in the winter. Hard squashes like acorn and butternut make delightful fall chowders. A couple of years ago, I had an incredible tomato chowder in August, and fresh corn chowder is hard to beat. And given the season's notorious unpredictability, heartier chowders that warm your bones still may find a welcome place at the table on days when a cold snap catches you by surprise — as it did in some parts of the country last week.

The origin of the word "chowder" is somewhat ambiguous. Most authorities, including the Oxford English Dictionary, assert it originates from the French term faire la chaudiere, which literally means "make something in a cauldron." Others claim the word is from the Old English word jowter, which refers to a fish peddler.

The first chowders were based on seafood: miscellaneous fish, cod, oysters, shrimp, crab, clam and even lobster, which was once known as a poor-man's food. Until the 20th century, seafood of all sorts was cheap and plentiful in New England, and chowders were made of whatever was in the day's catch or could be collected on the shores.

Because of the abundance of clams — and their ready accessibility to anyone, fisherman or not — New England clam chowder became the ideal example for chowders. It is a lusciously thick, creamy broth with chunks of clam, potato and onion.

From its beginnings in New England, chowder spread westward across the continent, and was modified and adapted along the way. Potato chowder, corn chowder and potato-corn chowder are the most common variants, but chowders made of mixed vegetables, kale and spinach have also popped up.

Chicken chowder, usually mixed with corn, potatoes or both, also is common. And when chowder reached the West Coast, salmon chowders became popular. One of my favorite chowder variations is cheddar chowder, which is made by cooking bacon, browning onions in the bacon fat with some flour, then heating cream and milk, and melting sharp cheddar into the mix.

Most of the New England clam chowders I've eaten have been either too thin or thickened with a roux, which can give chowder a gravy-like character. I prefer a soup with the consistency of half and half.

An old chowder-head taught me to put oyster crackers in a plastic bag, pound them into fine crumbs with a beer bottle, and use them to thicken the chowder. This works beautifully with clam chowder. Unlike many soups, chowders have few ingredients, so there is no place for subtlety. Chowder should step up to you and look you squarely in the eye with no hesitancy or hidden agenda. And because there are so few components, they should be the best and freshest you can find. You can't hide poor ingredients in these simple bowls of honest fare.

This is an old favorite of mine with a history nearly as long as that of chowder itself. It makes a hearty winter dish, by highlighting the deep, earthy flavors of new potatoes. However hard you scrub the potatoes, you'll still taste the earth they were born in, and that's the way a potato should taste. There's a reason the French call them pommes de terre, or apples of the earth.

New Potato Chowder

Ingredients:

6 strips bacon

1 medium onion, coarsely diced

3 cups chicken broth

1 pound mixed baby potatoes, cut into ½ -inch dice

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon ground mustard

Additional salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, cook bacon over medium-low heat until semi-crisp. Drain bacon, chop coarsely and reserve for garnish. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of grease.

Add diced onion and cook until it begins to brown. Increase heat to high, add a bit of chicken broth and deglaze the pot. Add remaining chicken broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, add potatoes and salt, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove 1 cup of potatoes and mash thoroughly with a bit of the stock to loosen them up, then stir back in along with the heavy cream and mustard, and return to a simmer.

Adjust seasonings and serve, garnished with chopped bacon.

Serves 6

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George’s notes:

• When most of us think of chowder, New England-style fish or clam chowder is what comes to mind, but they are only two of the dozens of home-style chowders you can make from this book. Once you discover the diversity of ingredients you can cook into a chowder and see the scope of styles and colors open to you, you will wonder how we ever came to think there were only one or two chowders in the world.
• Authentic chowder is characterized by generous chunks of local seasonal ingredients served in a moderate amount of broth. Another basic characteristic of chowder is its ease of preparation—even chowders that take more than an hour to make don't require anything more than keeping an eye on the pot. A big pot of chowder is perfect for a large gathering of family and friends, and because chowder truly is best when made ahead, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy your company.

Mushroom Lasagna...

Lasagna is comfort food at its best, because of the unique combination of ingredients and flavors that go into the dish. We all have a lasagna recipe that we use as our base and tweak and revise as our taste change.

A month or so ago, I was invited to a birthday bash at a friend's house and asked to bring a dish to contribute to the dinner, so I immediately thought of lasagna. At the party, the table groaned with beautiful entrées, creative salads and appetizing desserts, but my simple platter of pasta emptied the fastest. Just last week one of the other guests who had been at that party asked me if I would bring "that mushroom pasta dish" to their potluck dinner. Unfortunately, I'm not going to be in town, so I thought I would share it here.

I love to participate in the process of sharing recipes, because of the creative differences we all add to the food we eat. I like to think that other cooks all over the world, making their interpretations of the same basic recipe, passing them on and making the food we eat endlessly interesting.

Here is my interruption of lasagna:



Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients:
6 - 8 ounces fresh mushrooms (morels, chanterelles, oyster, etc.)
1 cup heavy cream
1½ cup reduced low-sodium chicken stock, preferably homemade
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon flour
¼ cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup parsley, minced
Parmeggiano-Reggiano, shredded
pinch fresh nutmeg
½ pound flat lasagna
white truffle oil (optional)

Add the cream into the stock mixture and warm in a small saucepan.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter until it foams. Add flour and make a roux, stirring, for about a minute until it just starts to darken in color. Add stock/cream mixture and stir in the nutmeg. Simmer sauce 1 hour in a double boiler until it coats the spoon nicely. Remove from heat and set aside.

Sauté the mushrooms in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter on medium high heat, stirring constantly. When the mushroom color begins to deepen and they dry out a bit, add additional and the wine. Raise heat and briskly reduce the liquid to a syrupy glaze on the mushrooms, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and most of the parsley and stir a few times over heat and then remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Break up the sheets of pasta into irregular pieces and cook the pasta al dente.

Scrape the mushrooms into the cream sauce, give it a stir and correct the seasoning. Drain the pasta well and mix it with the sauce in a buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with the cheese, drizzle with truffle oil, and bake 15 - 20 min or more until browned and crusty on top. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve immediately, with additional cheese on the side.

I usually serve this with a salad, crusty bread and a glass of Merlot for a simple supper, but for a more elaborate meal it would make a nice pasta course in front of beef tenderloin or other meat entrées.

Serves 6

__________

George’s notes:

• You may assemble this recipe, but not bake ahead of time. Just keep refrigerated. Allow to come to room temperature before baking, or extend the baking time, and give the pasta a good toss with tongs to be sure it's well coated with the sauce before baking.
• Although the lasagna is generally believed to have originated in Italy; but the recipe was featured in the first cookbook ever written in England, leading to an urban legend that the dish originated in the British Isles.

Coq au Vin...

First a little about the name… Coq is the French word for "cock" ~ as in rooster, or male chicken. Vin is French for "wine" and "au" is French for "of the". Consequently, "Coq au Vin" literally translates as "Cock of the wine". However, as literal translations are not that meaningful, a better translation would be "Cock cooked with wine".

Until the 20th century it was common for rural families to have some chickens, for eggs and meat, and a rooster. The rooster would be kept until it was too old to perform its duties, at which time it would be killed and eaten. However, by this time the meat would be hard and stringy, so cooking it slowly in wine would tend to soften the meat and make it more edible. As such, the recipe has historically been considered "peasant food" as the well-off would be able to afford a better cut of meat which would not require slow cooking in wine in order to be edible.

When looking at a delicious meal placed before you, what does say; does the ingredients belong together, does the recipe ring true? Or is it, like so much modern cooking, a mess of ingredients that are out of sync and have no affinity with one another. I love a recipe that really works, where you feel there is something absolutely right about it. Where the cook has remained true to the dish, to its provenance, its history and its soul.

I feel that way about Coq au Vin. The story is there for all to read. The chicken, the garlic, the bottle of wine, the long, slow cooking time. Here is my all time simple recipe from The Taste of France cookbook.



Coq au Vin

Ingredients:
2 cups merlot
4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
12 button mushrooms halved
2 leeks, white part only finely chopped
4 shallots, finely diced
3 large garlic cloves chopped
½ tablespoon each: butter and olive oil
4 strips smoked bacon, fat trimmed
4 sprigs of thyme leaves chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
8-10 chicken thighs with bone and skin

Soak porcinis in ½ cup warm water until soft, reserve soaking water. Chop mushrooms finely. Simmer 1 ½ cups of the wine in a saucepan until slightly reduced by ⅓. Chop bacon finely. Trim excess fat from chicken, season with salt and pepper, place in a deep sauté pan and brown pieces until skin is crisp, remove from pan and drain fat.

In the same pan, melt butter and oil; add bacon, shallots, leeks, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until soft, then add reduced wine and porcini water simmer for 2 -3 minutes. Add chicken, skin side up, and sprinkle with thyme. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, remove lid, add ½ cup wine and simmer for 15 minutes more until chicken is very tender. Serve with your favorite mashed potatoes and a green tossed salad.

Serves 4-6

__________

George’s notes:

• The origin of the recipe is unknown. Various legends trace coq au vin to ancient Gaul and Julius Caesar.
• What is known is that the recipe is very old (at least 400 years) but did not become popular until the early 1900s. Since then it has become one of the best known French recipes, both within and outside of France.

Chicken Marsala with Asparagus...

At times when our busy lives seems to be dictating when and what we eat; I suggest this simple inexpensive recipe. Always a crowd pleaser, Chicken Marsala is a delicious, classic chicken dish; lightly coated chicken breasts braised with Marsala wine and mushrooms. It’s an easy recipe, ideal for a quick weeknight entrée or serving to your most important company at an impromptu dinner party. Serve with steamed asparagus, angle hair pasta and a garden fresh salad. Within no time dinner will be on the table.


Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:
¼ cup all-purpose flour for coating
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
~ pounded ¼ inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup Marsala wine
¼ cup cooking sherry

In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Working in batches, coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.
In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Serves 4



Steamed Fresh Asparagus

Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus spears

Place water in the bottom half of steamer pan set and bring to a boil.
Trim the dry ends off of the asparagus. If the spears are thick, peel them lightly with a vegetable peeler. Place them in the top half of the steamer pan set. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus, or until asparagus is tender.

Serves 4

__________

George's notes:

• Planning meals can be difficult, so here is one I turn to when its be a long day, unexpected guest come for dinner or just when I want dinner to be easy.
• Chicken Marsala is a traditional Italian dish, originally from Sicily and very popular in the area around Rome.

Pork Tenderloin Adobado...

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to eat a variety of meat & fish and not just fixing beef & chicken. It is so easy to fall into a rut when it comes to cooking.

As you have noticed, I am using more spices and cultural cuisine to meet this challenge. Last night I decided to fix my favorite cut of pork ~ tenderloins. The Spanish term adobado in my dish refers to "any meat that has been marinated and that generally contains chilies." I had come across a recipe from Cooking Light while browsing the net ~ that sounded good, but was somewhat complicated. So, I changed it up a bit and cut out some of the steps & ingredients. Sometimes, I just want guidelines and ideas, when I see a recipe I like. I also used a cast iron grill pan and did not venture out into the cold night air. I think the results are equal.

Pork Tenderloin Adobado
My adaptation of a recipe from Cooking Light

Ingredients:
2 whole pork tenderloins
½ cup brown sugar
⅛ cup chili powder
1 tablespoon lime juice
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon olive oil



Combine all ingredients except pork and mix into a paste. Rub the paste on the pork and marinate at least half an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

Spray your grill pan with a light coat of Pam.
Preheat your grill pan to the highest heat and just beginning to smoke. Place the pork tenderloins in the pan and cook for three minutes per side, until the thickest part reaches 145 degrees.

Remove the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for five minutes. Slice the tenderloins at an angle about ½ –inch thick. Serving 4 to 5 slices to each guest.

Serves 4

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George’s notes:

• I like to use some of the leftover pork for sandwiches the next day.
• Pork tenderloin is a great lean cut of meat that I find easy to work with and more flavorful than a chicken breast.