from... Miss Mary's Kitchen
MA AND PA SEAFOOD CHOWDER
This recipe is from the “El Biggero” Collection, which are a number of dishes dreamed up by my husband under his chef name, El Biggero. This recipe is really for Bouillabaisse, but is named for my mother and father who he called “Ma and Pa”. The recipe was invented as a special treat on one of their visits to our home.
MA AND PA SEAOOD CHOWDER
Serves 6-8
Ingredients (A)
1 -14oz can chicken broth
1 - 8 oz bottle clam juice
1 - 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 - teaspoon salt
1 - tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 - tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 - tablespoon chopped garlic
½ - stick butter
¼ - teaspoon saffron
1- medium potato (diced)
1 - large parsnip (diced)
½ - large red onion (diced)
1 - large celery stalk (diced)
1 - large carrot (diced)
Ingredients (B)
1/3 - Lb. Shrimp
1/3 - Lb. Catfish nuggets
1/3 - Lb. Bay scallops
1/3 - Lb. Fresh shucked Oysters
½ - cup dry Sherry
½ - cup dry white wine
Place all of Ingredients (A) in large stock pot. Bring to slow boil and reduce heat and simmer for 2 and ½ hours.
Next add all of Ingredients (B) to the stock pot and bring to a slow boil and reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Serve with Sourdough French bread and Caesar Salad.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
El Biggero Beef Stroganoff
From Miss Mary's Kitchen
El Biggero Beef Stroganoff
This is another recipe from my husband "Chef El Biggero"
El Biggero Beef Stroganoff:
1 - pound beef (good cut) cut in chunks (tenderloin is best)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms sliced
8 oz chopped onions
1/2 - 12oz jar creamy Alfredo sauce
1 - 8oz container of sour cream
1 - can of cream of mushroom soup
6 oz red wine
4 - cloves of fresh garlic, or1/4 cup crushed garlic ,or 1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 - tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 - teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 - teaspoon salt
1 - 16 oz bag egg noodles
marinate beef, wine, and garlic for three hours.
Then combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan and cook
on low heat for one hour.
Serve over cooked noodles - serves 4-6
El Biggero Beef Stroganoff
This is another recipe from my husband "Chef El Biggero"
El Biggero Beef Stroganoff:
1 - pound beef (good cut) cut in chunks (tenderloin is best)
8 oz. fresh mushrooms sliced
8 oz chopped onions
1/2 - 12oz jar creamy Alfredo sauce
1 - 8oz container of sour cream
1 - can of cream of mushroom soup
6 oz red wine
4 - cloves of fresh garlic, or1/4 cup crushed garlic ,or 1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 - tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 - teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 - teaspoon salt
1 - 16 oz bag egg noodles
marinate beef, wine, and garlic for three hours.
Then combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan and cook
on low heat for one hour.
Serve over cooked noodles - serves 4-6
Friday, January 7, 2011
Saucy Cornish Game Hens
From Miss Mary's Kitchen
Saucy Cornish Game Hens
I have always admired the culinary talents of my husband, Norm. He can open the refrigerator or pantry door, look at the contents, and quickly put together a recipe in his mind. Norm and I joke about this “talent.” One of the pitfalls is that the ingredients in his creations are rarely measured but are instead added until the right taste is achieved. The results are usually a one-of-a-kind treat that cannot be replicated!
Regardless, Norm’s ability to think on his feet in the kitchen is something I try to emulate, and I confess that I always enjoy the finished dish. In the case of the entrée below, the use of a leftover wine evolved into a favorite recipe often served at our house.
This dish is suitable for a special dinner for friends and family. You might even consider this as an alternate to the traditional turkey served during the holiday season. If you have never enjoyed Cornish game hens, they are cross-bred chickens that are younger than the poultry we normally find in the meat department, and are both extremely tender and very flavorful. Because this recipe involves stuffing the birds with the long grain and wild rice mixture, the addition of a salad or green vegetable is all that is needed to complete the meal!
SAUCY CORNISH HENS
Generously serves 2
2 Cornish game hens
1 pkg. long grain and wild rice, prepared
1-6 oz. can orange juice concentrate, thawed
6 to 8 oz. dry red wine
¼ lb. butter or margarine
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9”x 12” baking dish by coating with oil. Remove the last joint of the wings of the Cornish hens, rinse and pat dry. Stuff each cavity with the prepared rice mixture, place in the baking dish. Put in the oven, and set a timer for 15 minutes.. While the hens are cooking, prepare the sauce that will be used to baste them. In a medium saucepan, mix together the orange juice concentrate, wine and butter. Heat over medium heat until all ingredients are blended together. Reduce to low, keep warm throughout cooking of Cornish hens. When the timer goes off, remove the hens, baste liberally with the sauce, and return to the oven. Repeat this process three additional times for a total cooking time of 60 minutes. These small birds can brown quickly between bastings. To prevent them from turning too brown, tent the dish with aluminum foil after the 30 minute basting.
Remove dish from oven, allow to sit approximately 5 minutes before serving. If there is remaining sauce, bring it to a boil, then turn down to simmer while the birds are resting, and then serve with the meal.
Saucy Cornish Game Hens
I have always admired the culinary talents of my husband, Norm. He can open the refrigerator or pantry door, look at the contents, and quickly put together a recipe in his mind. Norm and I joke about this “talent.” One of the pitfalls is that the ingredients in his creations are rarely measured but are instead added until the right taste is achieved. The results are usually a one-of-a-kind treat that cannot be replicated!
Regardless, Norm’s ability to think on his feet in the kitchen is something I try to emulate, and I confess that I always enjoy the finished dish. In the case of the entrée below, the use of a leftover wine evolved into a favorite recipe often served at our house.
This dish is suitable for a special dinner for friends and family. You might even consider this as an alternate to the traditional turkey served during the holiday season. If you have never enjoyed Cornish game hens, they are cross-bred chickens that are younger than the poultry we normally find in the meat department, and are both extremely tender and very flavorful. Because this recipe involves stuffing the birds with the long grain and wild rice mixture, the addition of a salad or green vegetable is all that is needed to complete the meal!
SAUCY CORNISH HENS
Generously serves 2
2 Cornish game hens
1 pkg. long grain and wild rice, prepared
1-6 oz. can orange juice concentrate, thawed
6 to 8 oz. dry red wine
¼ lb. butter or margarine
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9”x 12” baking dish by coating with oil. Remove the last joint of the wings of the Cornish hens, rinse and pat dry. Stuff each cavity with the prepared rice mixture, place in the baking dish. Put in the oven, and set a timer for 15 minutes.. While the hens are cooking, prepare the sauce that will be used to baste them. In a medium saucepan, mix together the orange juice concentrate, wine and butter. Heat over medium heat until all ingredients are blended together. Reduce to low, keep warm throughout cooking of Cornish hens. When the timer goes off, remove the hens, baste liberally with the sauce, and return to the oven. Repeat this process three additional times for a total cooking time of 60 minutes. These small birds can brown quickly between bastings. To prevent them from turning too brown, tent the dish with aluminum foil after the 30 minute basting.
Remove dish from oven, allow to sit approximately 5 minutes before serving. If there is remaining sauce, bring it to a boil, then turn down to simmer while the birds are resting, and then serve with the meal.
LOUISANIA STYLE BBQ SHRIMP
From Miss Mary’s Kitchen…
Louisania Style BBQ Shrimp
When Norm and I got married, he treated us to a memorable honeymoon in New Orleans , LA that began with a romantic train ride on the “Crescent” from Atlanta to New Orleans . Part of the plan (of course!) was to dine our way through as many of the wonderful restaurants as we could fit into our week’s stay in the city. Of particular note was dining at Pascal’s Manale, a restaurant in the Garden District of New Orleans. To get there, we took the famous St. Charles trolley almost to the front door of this long-standing establishment. Known far and wide for their Barbeque Shrimp, the quaint white tablecloth restaurant lived up to the pre-billing Norm had given. We later noticed that many French Quarter restaurants featured a version of this entrée but were told that Pasqual’s Manale was the inventor of the dish.
As you are served these huge Gulf prawns swimming in a big bowl of delectable smelling broth (it’s really not a barbeque sauce), they drape a bib over you, give you lots of crusty bread, and encourage you to ‘dig in’. I was a bit puzzled by the bib, but quickly came to understand the logic behind the offering. This meal is one of the messiest, most wonderful experiences anyone could ever hope to experience! The sensory explosion of spices of the sauce is fantastic, peeling the shrimp is an adventure, and the enjoyment of sopping up every last drop of that cooking liquid is truly a gourmet delight.
The memory of that stellar dining experience stayed with me, and through years of trial and error I came up with a version of my own. No, it’s not as messy as the Pascal’s Manale version (bibs are hard to find, and I peel the shrimp!), but much of the flavor is captured in my baked version – I believe the restaurant prepares theirs’ on the stovetop. The spicy heat of the sauce can easily be regulated by reduction of the freshly ground black pepper, but I invite you to try the recipe as I’ve written it before experimenting with the ingredients. Lots of crusty bread or an optional bowl of steaming rice and a salad are all that’s needed to take you away to a New Orleans inspired meal!
LOUISIANA-STYLE SHRIMP
Serves 2
¾ lb. medium to large shrimp
3 T. unsalted butter
1 t. chili powder
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. minced garlic
2 T. dry red wine
¼ t. salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and devein the shrimp, arrange in a single layer in a 8”x8” glass baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine all other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the shrimp. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching so the shrimp don’t overcook. Serve over rice, or with bread to soak up the sauce.
Louisania Style BBQ Shrimp
When Norm and I got married, he treated us to a memorable honeymoon in New Orleans , LA that began with a romantic train ride on the “Crescent” from Atlanta to New Orleans . Part of the plan (of course!) was to dine our way through as many of the wonderful restaurants as we could fit into our week’s stay in the city. Of particular note was dining at Pascal’s Manale, a restaurant in the Garden District of New Orleans. To get there, we took the famous St. Charles trolley almost to the front door of this long-standing establishment. Known far and wide for their Barbeque Shrimp, the quaint white tablecloth restaurant lived up to the pre-billing Norm had given. We later noticed that many French Quarter restaurants featured a version of this entrée but were told that Pasqual’s Manale was the inventor of the dish.
As you are served these huge Gulf prawns swimming in a big bowl of delectable smelling broth (it’s really not a barbeque sauce), they drape a bib over you, give you lots of crusty bread, and encourage you to ‘dig in’. I was a bit puzzled by the bib, but quickly came to understand the logic behind the offering. This meal is one of the messiest, most wonderful experiences anyone could ever hope to experience! The sensory explosion of spices of the sauce is fantastic, peeling the shrimp is an adventure, and the enjoyment of sopping up every last drop of that cooking liquid is truly a gourmet delight.
The memory of that stellar dining experience stayed with me, and through years of trial and error I came up with a version of my own. No, it’s not as messy as the Pascal’s Manale version (bibs are hard to find, and I peel the shrimp!), but much of the flavor is captured in my baked version – I believe the restaurant prepares theirs’ on the stovetop. The spicy heat of the sauce can easily be regulated by reduction of the freshly ground black pepper, but I invite you to try the recipe as I’ve written it before experimenting with the ingredients. Lots of crusty bread or an optional bowl of steaming rice and a salad are all that’s needed to take you away to a New Orleans inspired meal!
LOUISIANA-STYLE SHRIMP
Serves 2
¾ lb. medium to large shrimp
3 T. unsalted butter
1 t. chili powder
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. minced garlic
2 T. dry red wine
¼ t. salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and devein the shrimp, arrange in a single layer in a 8”x8” glass baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine all other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour over the shrimp. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching so the shrimp don’t overcook. Serve over rice, or with bread to soak up the sauce.
Christmas Seafood Salad
From Miss Mary's Kitchen
Christmas Seafood Salad
Pinpointing the time for Christmas Eve dinner has usually been a guessing game at our house. Norm is always working at the store on this evening. Never knowing when this day will end has meant we could only vaguely plan when he would get home. For the first couple of years of our marriage, I wound up with dinners that were more than a "bit" overdone! Needless to say, I wised up, and came up with a meal that fit the bill of being ready when my spouse arrived. It also added to my pleasure of having a meal ready without fretting over it. Proudly, my Christmas Seafood Salad has become our favorite for Christmas Eve.
Since this is a meal you can quickly have on the table, it might help reduce your stress during the holiday season when friends and relatives are arriving at "unknown" times. You can prepare everything in advance and then sit back and relax, knowing you only need to place the ingredients on the plate, and your meal is ready. The selection and quantity of seafood and garnishes can be adapted to fit your preferences, or those of your guests.
A simple dessert to accompany this would be ambrosia and/or pound cake.
CHRISTMAS SEAFOOD SALAD
Serves 2, easily multiplied
Salad
1/2 lb. large shrimp
6-8 king crab legs, shells removed
2 lobster tails (5-7 oz. each)
Old Bay Seasoning
2 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
gherkins (or any tiny pickles)
assorted olives
capers
red-tipped lettuce (to cover plates)
lemon wedges
Seafood Sauce
1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. tomato catsup
2 dashes Louisiana hot sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
2-3 T. dill pickle relish
1 T. horseradish (or to taste)
1/2 t. sugar
assorted crackers
Boil shrimp and lobster tails until done (I use the recipe for cooking shrimp that is on the Old Bay Seasoning can). Drain, cover and place in refrigerator to chill. Mix all ingredients for the Seafood Sauce, cover and place in refrigerator. After the seafood is chilled, remove, peel, then return back to refrigerator. Place 2 dinner plates in the refrigerator to cool at that time.
When your guest arrives, remove the plates and lettuce from the refrigerator. Cover each plate with lettuce leaves to make a bed for the salad. Arrange seafood as desired on each plate. Cut eggs into wedges, place on each plate. Scatter the remaining ingredients on the plates.
Serve with Seafood Sauce and crackers.
Christmas Seafood Salad
Pinpointing the time for Christmas Eve dinner has usually been a guessing game at our house. Norm is always working at the store on this evening. Never knowing when this day will end has meant we could only vaguely plan when he would get home. For the first couple of years of our marriage, I wound up with dinners that were more than a "bit" overdone! Needless to say, I wised up, and came up with a meal that fit the bill of being ready when my spouse arrived. It also added to my pleasure of having a meal ready without fretting over it. Proudly, my Christmas Seafood Salad has become our favorite for Christmas Eve.
Since this is a meal you can quickly have on the table, it might help reduce your stress during the holiday season when friends and relatives are arriving at "unknown" times. You can prepare everything in advance and then sit back and relax, knowing you only need to place the ingredients on the plate, and your meal is ready. The selection and quantity of seafood and garnishes can be adapted to fit your preferences, or those of your guests.
A simple dessert to accompany this would be ambrosia and/or pound cake.
CHRISTMAS SEAFOOD SALAD
Serves 2, easily multiplied
Salad
1/2 lb. large shrimp
6-8 king crab legs, shells removed
2 lobster tails (5-7 oz. each)
Old Bay Seasoning
2 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
gherkins (or any tiny pickles)
assorted olives
capers
red-tipped lettuce (to cover plates)
lemon wedges
Seafood Sauce
1 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. tomato catsup
2 dashes Louisiana hot sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder
2-3 T. dill pickle relish
1 T. horseradish (or to taste)
1/2 t. sugar
assorted crackers
Boil shrimp and lobster tails until done (I use the recipe for cooking shrimp that is on the Old Bay Seasoning can). Drain, cover and place in refrigerator to chill. Mix all ingredients for the Seafood Sauce, cover and place in refrigerator. After the seafood is chilled, remove, peel, then return back to refrigerator. Place 2 dinner plates in the refrigerator to cool at that time.
When your guest arrives, remove the plates and lettuce from the refrigerator. Cover each plate with lettuce leaves to make a bed for the salad. Arrange seafood as desired on each plate. Cut eggs into wedges, place on each plate. Scatter the remaining ingredients on the plates.
Serve with Seafood Sauce and crackers.
Special Shrimp Scampi
From Miss Mary's Kitchen
Special Shrimp Scampi
There are many versions of Shrimp Scampi, ranging from the very basic to the most elaborate, and I think I have tried most every one of them! I take great pleasure in finding ways to incorporate the wonderful smell and taste of garlic into a recipe, particularly when that includes my most favorite food, shrimp.
In this dish, I realized the basic importance of pairing wines to food as it plays out through the wine you use in the preparation versus the wine you serve with the food eaten. I mistakenly used a different variety of wine in the preparation from what I served with the Scampi. Guess what?! The food just didn’t taste right! The lesson I learned is that wines used in flavoring foods should compliment (or copy) the wine you serve with the dish.
SPECIAL SHRIMP SCAMPI
Serves 2, easily doubled
12-16 shrimp (16-20 count preferred), peeled and deveined
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. butter
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. dry white wine (match to wine served with meal)
2 T. minced parsley (optional)
HELPFUL HINTS: have all ingredients prepared and assembled because this recipe is completed quickly once started. Adjust garlic to taste preference.
In a 10” skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, stir until it begins to very lightly brown. Drop in shrimp in a single layer; allow shrimp and garlic to cook for 1 minute. Stir ingredients, flip shrimp over and cook 1 additional minute. Pour in wine, stir to mix, turn temperature down to simmer, cook 2 minutes. Stir in parsley, remove from heat.
Serve over rice or with crusty bread to absorb the sauce.
Special Shrimp Scampi
There are many versions of Shrimp Scampi, ranging from the very basic to the most elaborate, and I think I have tried most every one of them! I take great pleasure in finding ways to incorporate the wonderful smell and taste of garlic into a recipe, particularly when that includes my most favorite food, shrimp.
In this dish, I realized the basic importance of pairing wines to food as it plays out through the wine you use in the preparation versus the wine you serve with the food eaten. I mistakenly used a different variety of wine in the preparation from what I served with the Scampi. Guess what?! The food just didn’t taste right! The lesson I learned is that wines used in flavoring foods should compliment (or copy) the wine you serve with the dish.
SPECIAL SHRIMP SCAMPI
Serves 2, easily doubled
12-16 shrimp (16-20 count preferred), peeled and deveined
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. butter
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. dry white wine (match to wine served with meal)
2 T. minced parsley (optional)
HELPFUL HINTS: have all ingredients prepared and assembled because this recipe is completed quickly once started. Adjust garlic to taste preference.
In a 10” skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, stir until it begins to very lightly brown. Drop in shrimp in a single layer; allow shrimp and garlic to cook for 1 minute. Stir ingredients, flip shrimp over and cook 1 additional minute. Pour in wine, stir to mix, turn temperature down to simmer, cook 2 minutes. Stir in parsley, remove from heat.
Serve over rice or with crusty bread to absorb the sauce.
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