Chef Neil's Recipe Post

Chicken Garam Masala over steamed rice

2007-10-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

Chicken Garam Masala over steamed rice

ingredients:
1 onion diced
1 bell pepper diced
2 apples diced
2 stalks celery diced
1 handful raisins
2 cloves garlic-crushed
1" piece of fresh ginger-fine chopped
1 zuke diced
1 yellow squash diced

4-raw chicken thigh-boneless/skinless-Diced

put all together in saute pan and start cooking
over med heat
adding 2 tsp. garam masala spice
when chicken is almost cooked add
1 small can (6 oz.) tomato puree
1 can coconut milk
and simmer down 12 minutes-
should be saucy -
serve over steamed rice

garam masala spice recipe
This is the most aromatic and fragrant of all Indian spice blends. Used throughout North India in all types of dishes
I use a coffee grinder-and only grind spices in it-
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 (3-inch) stick cinnamon, broken up
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
grind use as needed. store in dry cool place covered tight

Steamed Salmon with Ginger, Onion and Soy. submitted by shootingstar

2007-10-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

For 1-2 people.

1 salmon piece/fillet. Amount depends how much you want to eat.

½ tblsp. Smashed ginger root, finely chopped.

½ tsp. Finely chopped green onion or white onion.

1 small jot of soy sauce.

¼ tsp. of oil (don’t use olive oil. Too heavy)

Use an enamel or sturdy, porcelain like small bowl …at least 2 inches deep. Place fresh/thaw salmon fillet or part of a salmon piece. Press in ginger root into fish top, bottom and inside fish. Sprinkle chopped onion on top /stuff into fish.

Pour oil around fish and abit of top. Same with soy sauce. Only need tiny amount of soy sauce. Understatement is key taste since we are enhancing the fish taste, not drowning it.

Place dish of fish in a cooking pot/pan about 4-5 inches high pot that has at least 1 inch or more of cold water. You can use a low wire rack …can buy in Chinatown to place dish on top inside of pot. But not critical. Place lid on pot. Turn to boil, then turn down heat.

Just make sure you don’t cook off the steaming water. Add more water in pot if necessary. Fish done in less than 10 min. Cook until just tender. Not hard.

Can use same recipe for: rainbow trout, whitefish, pickerel and sole. You can adjust recipe for a large steaming pan/pot for a whole fish….great for a party/dinner with guests.

Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice Mead

2007-10-01T20:23:00.000-07:00

Joe Mattioli created this recipe for the newbie mead-maker. However, even well-seasoned mead-makers enjoy making and drinking it. This will yield a melomel ready in eight weeks or so (although mine took longer, about 12; I think because I made it at the end of the winter and it was sitting in a cold kitchen). The recipe departs from all accepted wisdom, but follow the instructions exactly and I promise that you will have a delicious product at the end. Note that, as we have been discussing, this quick recipe results in a sweet mead. Thanks to Joe for permission to post.

Joe Mattioli's Ancient Orange and Spice Mead

It is so simple to make and you can make it without much equipment and with a multitude of variations. This could be a first Mead for the novice as it is almost fool proof. It is a bit unorthodox but it has never failed me or the friends I have shared it with. (snip)...it will be sweet, complex and tasty.

1 gallon batch

3 1/2 lbs Clover or your choice honey or blend (will finish sweet)
1 Large orange (later cut in eights or smaller rind and all)
1 small handful of raisins (25 if you count but more or less ok)
1 stick of cinnamon
1 whole clove ( or 2 if you like - these are potent critters)
optional (a pinch of nutmeg and allspice )( very small )
1 teaspoon of Fleishmann’s bread yeast ( now don't get holy on me--- after all this is an ancient mead and that's all we had back then)
Balance water to one gallon

Process:

Use a clean 1 gallon carboy

Dissolve honey in some warm water and put in carboy

Wash orange well to remove any pesticides and slice in eights --add orange (you can push em through opening big boy -- rinds included -- its ok for this mead -- take my word for it -- ignore the experts)

Put in raisins, clove, cinnamon stick, any optional ingredients and fill to 3 inches from the top with cold water. ( need room for some foam -- you can top off with more water after the first few day frenzy)

Shake the heck out of the jug with top on, of course. This is your sophisticated aeration process.

When at room temperature in your kitchen, put in 1 teaspoon of bread yeast. ( No you don't have to rehydrate it first-- the ancients didn't even have that word in their vocabulary-- just put it in and give it a gentle swirl or not)(The yeast can fight for their own territory)

Install water airlock. Put in dark place. It will start working immediately or in an hour. (Don't use grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away in the 90's)( Wait 3 hours before you panic or call me) After major foaming stops in a few days add some water and then keep your hands off of it. (Don't shake it! Don't mess with them yeastees! Let them alone except its okay to open your cabinet to smell every once in a while.

Racking --- Don't you dare
additional feeding --- NO NO
More stirring or shaking -- Your not listening, don't touch

After 2 months and maybe a few days it will slow down to a stop and clear all by itself. (How about that) (You are not so important after all) Then you can put a hose in with a small cloth filter on the end into the clear part and siphon off the golden nectar. If you wait long enough even the oranges will sink to the bottom but I never waited that long. If it is clear it is ready. You don't need a cold basement. It does better in a kitchen in the dark. (Like in a cabinet) likes a little heat (70-80). If it didn't work out... you screwed up and didn't read my instructions (or used grandma's bread yeast she bought years before she passed away) . If it didn't work out then take up another hobby. Mead is not for you. It is too complicated.
If you were successful, which I am 99% certain you will be, then enjoy your mead. When you get ready to make different mead you will probably have to unlearn some of these practices I have taught you, but hey--- This recipe and procedure works with these ingredients so don't knock it. It was your first mead. It was my tenth. Sometimes, even the experts can forget all they know and make good ancient mead.

AZPeter's Awesome Fish Dish:

2007-09-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

In a deep skillet add a couple Tb. of olive oil and then a thick layer of chopped bell peppers, sliced onions, sliced tomatoes and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle on salt & pepper and place tilapia fillets on top. Then cover the fillets with another layer of the same vegies and add a little more salt/pepper. Cover the skillet and bring it to a low boil, then turn the heat on low and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked. The vegies will be soft and all of the juices from the vegies and fish will mix to steam the fish. Serve it over white rice.

Honey Mustard Tofu Submitted by FloridaYankee

2007-09-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons veggie oil
1 pound firm tofu, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup veggie stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/4 cup honey
DIRECTIONS: Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge tofu slices in flour and place in hot oil. Brown slightly, then turn over and brown the other side. Add stock and wine; simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in mustard and honey. Simmer until thickened. Serve over brown rice.

FloridaYankee's yummy salsa

2007-09-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

4 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 jalapeños seeded and diced, ribs removed if you don't want the salsa to be too hot.
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red onion, diced
juice of a lime, zest of the lime if you want.
1 bulb roasted garlic
1 tbsp cumin
salt, pepper and cilantro to taste (or omit if it's yucky)

To roast garlic: cut top off bulb. Place bulb on square of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Lightly wrap foil around the bulb so it's in a little foil "tent". Roast at 350 for an hour and cool completely.

In a mixing bowl squeeze the roasted garlic out of the "wrapper". Add salt, pepper and cumin. Mix in lime juice to form a paste. Add tomatoes, onion and peppers. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Eat with home made tortilla chips or serve over fish or chicken.

Sopa Tarasco Estilo Patzcuaro submitted by Steve

2007-09-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Soup from Patzcuaro, the heart of Tarascan Indian Country. Patzcuaro is in the mountains between Guadalajara and Mexico City.

For the Soup...
12 ounces of dried pinto beans, soaked overnight in enough water to cover (about 3 quarts)
1.5 white onions, quartered, plus an additional medium white onion.
8 whole cloves of garlic
3 small roasted tomatoes (hold them on a fork, over a flame [OK, over a hot burner if you're all-electric, ...but it won't be like the Tarascans!] After heating the skin blisters and can be peeled.
1 chile ancho*. Heat the proverbial "little bit of oil" in a frying pan, or a borrowed comal if your next door neighbor is Tarascan, and roast the chile until the skin puckers, then put it into a plastic bag to sIt for five minutes. Peel it under cold running water Do not put your fingers in your eyes! Isn't this fun?
4 tablespoons of lard! (I'd skip this part.)
2 slices of white onion
1.25 quarts of chicken broth **

Garnish
1.5 cups of creme fraiche, or - if you're fraiche out, use sour cream. Who's gonna know?
6 tablespoons of half-and-half
2 cups of ricotta, cubed
16 tortillas (corn, please), sliced into 1" strips and crisp fried in the now famous "little oil"
4 chiles pasillas or anchos,... yes "fried in a little oil!"
1 chile chipotle from the can. What about the rest? Save them for chicken soup.
1 avocado, sliced into strips? Cubed? Be creative.

Cooking...
Cook the beans in the water in which they soaked, with a quartered onion, 4 garlic cloves, and salt, in a crock pot for 1.5 hours +, until they are tender. Salt to taste. Remove the beans from heat, and cool them. Put the beans and their liquid into a blender or food processor and puree. Strain through a sieve twice. Set aside.
Blend onion, 4 garlic cloves, tomatoes, and chile in the food processor. Heat lard and fry the onion slices until brown. Remove onion and pour tomato mixture in pan. Cook over low heat until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. Add bean purée and simmer until the ingredients thicken. Add chicken broth and salt to taste. Stir and heat through.
Before serving, mix creme fraiche and half-and-half. Ladle hot soup from a clay tureen. Serve garnish in individual bowls, allowing diners to add cream, cheese, tortillas, chiles, and avocado to taste. Makes 8 servings.
* The chile ancho ( aka chile poblano ) is the kind used for chile relleno. It's the general size of a green bell pepper, but more slender and pointed; their flavor is mild.
** There's a fancy way to make this of course, but why not just pretend that Swanson's is owned by Tarascans and is VERY authentic?

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia- submitted by joedav

2007-09-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

6 filets tilapia, approx. 6 ounces each
1 1/4 cups alfredo sauce, homemade or store-bought
8 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked
Fresh parsley sprigs
6 lemon wedges

---Tilapia Crusting Mixture---
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

---Italian Vegetables---
4 cups zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices and halved
4 cups yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices and halved
2 cups red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 cups red onions, cut into strips
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Tilapia Crusting Mixture: Using a spoon, thoroughly mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Italian Vegetables: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place onto a baking sheet, forming a single layer. Set aside until ready for baking with tilapia.

3. Assembling Parmesan Crusted Tilapia: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place Tilapia fillets in a non-stick, shallow, baking pan. Pour 3 tablespoons of Alfredo sauce onto each tilapia fillet. Use bottom of spoon to evenly coat top of fish. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of prepared tilapia crusting mixture onto each piece and firmly pat breading evenly over Alfredo sauce. Place pan of tilapia on top rack and at the same time, place baking sheet with vegetables on the center rack, in the oven. After approximately 10 minutes, or when the internal temperature of fish reaches 150 degrees F, remove fish from oven and transfer onto a large platter. The vegetables should bake for an additional five minutes, or until tender, and remove from oven. Toss the vegetables with angel hair pasta and place around fish. Sprinkle dish with parsley, garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

BEER-BRAISED TILAPIA WITH MUSHROOMS AND TOMATOES- submitted by joedav

2007-09-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

BEER-BRAISED TILAPIA WITH MUSHROOMS AND TOMATOES

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pound tilapia or catfish fillets, cut into 2-inch wide pieces

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

8 ounces sliced white mushrooms

12-ounce bottle mild beer (such as pale ale)

14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a pie plate or other shallow dish, combine chili powder, garlic, flour and salt. Add tilapia and toss to coat evenly.

In a large, deep skillet with a cover, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet. Saute until the mushrooms and onions have softened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the beer, tomatoes (with their juice), Worcestershire and hot sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.

Return the fish to the skillet. Cover and continue simmering until the fish is opaque in the center and flakes easily, about 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley. Servings: 4.

Avocado dressing-

2007-09-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

recipe:

1 very ripe avocado
1 tomato-diced
a few pinches of cilantro,
a pinch of fresh ground cumin seeds
1 table spoon fresh chopped green garlic
a branch of fresh oregano chopped
zest and juice from a lime..
sea salt to taste
3 dashes hot sauce-I used habernero-you can use mild-if you need..

in a bowl- I use a wand blender- and puree altogether then add an ounce of rice wine vinegar and thin it down with water...

let set-chill and use with in two days

I used less than most dressings- and since, made with all veggies- a healthy choice...as opposed to the mayo based recipes and some vinaigrettes..