Charred Cajun Bruschetta

If you haven't gotten the hint yet...I like spicy. I like to take recipes and give them a little cajun/southwest flavor. Like bruschetta for example, it's such a classic italian appetizer that tastes delicious the traditional way, but it's also a recipe that you can have a lot of creative freedom with to make it into something different. So by charring all the vegetables under a broiler adds in a little smokey flavor, adding in some jalapeno gives it some heat, and using cilantro and lime juice gives it some of those southwest flavors. Figuring out what flavors makes you tick when trying to take your cooking skills to the next level is important. Once you figure out your "voice" in the kitchen, you can take any classic recipe and really make it your own.

Ingredients

• 2 Lbs Roma tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion; halved with skin removed
• 3 Jalapeno's, halved and seeded
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste
• French Baguette
• Fresh Mozzarella; sliced

Directions

Set broiler to high.

Place tomatoes, jalapeno's and red onion skin side up on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Drizzle all the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place pan 4" below the broiler and broil for about 6 minutes, until darkly roasted. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Once the vegetables are cooled, dice them and mix them all together in a zip lock bag. Add in the minced garlic, cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste). Mix all the ingredients together until incorporated.

Slice baguette into 1/4" thick slices on the bias and toast them in the oven. Once toasted, top with sliced mozzarella and the charred vegetable mixture. Serve as a side with the Cajun Sweet Potato Soup.  

 

Cajun Sweet Potato Soup

I have been in a soup kind of mood lately, as you can tell with my back to back soup posts. Since I didn't have time to celebrate Mardi Gras last weekend, I decided to honor it this past weekend with this delicious Cajun Sweet Potato soup. It's creamy, sweet and has a nice kick of heat at the end with the hot sauce and sausage (in my case chorizo). Then for the side I made a Charred Cajun Bruschetta. Bon Appétit!

Ingredients

• 1 Lbs Andouille or Chorizo sausage
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1 large onion; diced
• 1/2 red pepper; diced
• 4-5 ribs celery; diced
• 3 cloves of garlic; minced
• 1.5 quarts chicken stock
• 2 large sweet potatoes; diced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup spinach; chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley; chopped
• 1/4 cup chives; chopped
• Hot Sauce; to taste
• Salt & Pepper; to taste

Directions

In a large stock pot, brown sausage links until cooked through. Remove, wrap in tin foil and reserve.

Add butter to the pot and melt, add flour in with butter and whisk to make a roux. Add in onions, celery, red pepper and garlic, saute until soft. Once vegetables are soft, add in warm stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add in sweet potatoes, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.

Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Return soup to the stock pot and mix in cream, chives, parsley, spinach and hot sauce (to taste). Dice sausage links into large chunks and mix into the soup. season with salt and pepper (to taste) and serve warm. 

 

Potato & Leek Soup

This past weekend I was the head chef for the Boal Mansion Museum's annual grand dinner in Boalsburg, PA. This was the first time I had to come up with an 8-course classic french menu and I really enjoyed the challenge. For the soup course I made a pureed Potato & Leek soup which turned out fantastic. Potato & Leek is a very classic soup and in french cuisine it is most often served as a cold soup or a vichyssoise. It is a very simple, delicious and quick soup. Bon Appétit!

Ingredients 

• 1 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 3 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• Diced chives; for garnish
• Crème fraîche ; for garnish

Directions


Chop the leeks into small pieces.

In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of slat and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with a blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Ladle into a bowl, add a dollop of crème fraîche, sprinkle with some chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

**Note: Leeks can be a little intimidating to dice so here is a video demonstrating how to go about doing it.**

 Kitchen Word of the Day 

Purée and (more rarely) mash are general terms for cooked food, usually vegetables or legumes, that have been ground, pressed, blended, and/or sieved to the consistency of a soft creamy paste or thick liquid. Purées of specific foods are often known by specific names, e.g., mashed potatoes or apple sauce. The term is of French origin, where it meant in Old French (13th century): purified or refined.

Mary Had a Lamb-a-Letta

This past summer I entered in a national sandwich competition through Mezzetta (they sell imported olives and olive oil). I didn't win the competition, but I really liked the sandwich I came up with and wanted to share it. This is a twist on a traditional New Orleans sandwich called a Muffaletta, which typically features Italian meats and an olive salad. My version uses sliced leg of lamb, smoked gouda, baby arugula, the olive salad and a garlic aioli. It's a little bit of a pricey sandwich to make, but if you're entertaining and want to show off a bit, this will definitely do the trick! Bon Appétit!

Ingredients

For Lamb:

• 1 boneless leg of lamb, butterflied (ask butcher)
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 sprigs of rosemary, bruised to release oils
• Juice and zest from one lemon
• Kosher salt and crack black pepper

 For Garlic Aioli:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For Olive Salad:

• 3/4 Cup Spanish Olives w/ Pimento
• 1/4 Cup Pitted Kalamata Olives
• 1/4 Cup Giardiniera (use at lease one of each veggie)
• 3 Peperoncini, stems removed and seeded
• 4 Cocktail Onions
• 2 Tablespoons non-pereil capers
• 1 medium clove of garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• pinch of black pepper
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For Assembly:

• 4 Chibata Rolls, sliced in half & lightly toasted
• Garlic Aioli
• Sliced Lamb 
• Smoked gouda, sliced
• Baby arugala
• Olive Salad Mixture

Directions

Add the first 4 ingredients for lamb into a large ziplock bag or bowl and stir to combine. Add the lamb to the marinade and seal or cover. Allow the lamb to marinate for at least one hour and up to 24 hours. Allow the lamb to come to room temperature before grilling. 

Remove the lamb from the marinade and discard all of the garlic slices and rosemary. Season both sides of the lamb very liberally with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. 

Grill over medium-high, fat-side down first for about 15-20 minutes, then flip and grill for another 15-20 minutes for medium rare. (The cook time maybe adjusted for other degrees of doneness) Beware of seriously flare ups that may arise from the fat-side down direct flame grilling. You may need to move the meat to a portion of the grill that is not directly over the flames to prevent serious charring. Remove the meat from the grill and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Allow the lamb to rest for at least ten minutes before slicing. 

For the aioli, Mix mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  For the olive salad,  Place all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and pulse, being sure to scrap the sides until blended. Dish the olive salad into a bowl and refrigerate. 

Slice the lamb in thin slices and split sliced lamb up into even piles.  Slice the chibata rolls in half and lightly toast. Place the bottom half of the chibata rolls on a work surface and spread the Garlic Aioli on the bread, then top with the sliced lamb and a slice of smoked gouda. Set your oven to broil, place sandwich bottoms on a baking sheet and broil on high to melt the cheese. Take the top half of the chibata roll and press the inside of the bread to form a bowl shape. Pile the olive salad mixture into it. Remove the bottom half of the sandwich from the broiler and top with baby arugala. Put the top on, cut the sandwich, plate it and enjoy the Mary Had a Lamb-a-letta!

Sausage & Peppers Pasta

This is a very simple pasta dish that is perfect for a quick meal. My mom used to make this all the time and it was always one of my favorites. Of course I stole the recipe from her whenever I moved out and decided to make it a little more spicy with the addition of the Diced Tomatoes and Chilies and the Pepper Jack. If you want a more mild version instead of using the pepper jack, use 1 1/2 cups of a mozzarella and parmesan blend and use regular diced tomatoes. Bon Appétit!

Ingredients

• 3 Cups wheat Rigatoni
• Italian Sausage, Sliced
• 1 green, yellow & red pepper, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, diced
• 1 (14.5 oz) can Diced Tomatoes and Chilies
• 3/4 cup Mozzarella, shredded
• 3/4 cup Pepper Jack, shredded
• Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook Pasta as per box directions.

While pasta is cooking, cook sausage in a large saute pan over medium heat for 10 min. Add sliced peppers and and garlic and cook for an addition 7 min.  Stir in tomatoes and cook for an additional 2 min. Drain pasta, add it in the saucepan with other ingredients and top with mozzarella and pepper jack , cover to melt the cheese. Plate and garnish with Parmesan.

Lee's Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese

Lee and I definitely have an addiction to Buffalo Chicken. So, naturally, whenever she made this dish, we both fell in love with it.  It's probably my favorite version, and I'm willing to guess her's as well, of macaroni and cheese. When she made her last batch, I decided with the left overs I would turn it into a bite size, finger food in the form of deep fried mac n' cheese. Either version would be great for the Super Bowl this weekend. Two recipes for the price of one! Bon Appétit! 

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 2 Chicken Breasts, cooked & shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 2 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, optional 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. 

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute. 

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth. 

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top. 

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. 

Ingredients

• Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese, completely chilled
• 2 eggs
• 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 2 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 2 Tsp Paprika
• 2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper 
• Canola oil for frying 
• Cajun Ranch Dipping Sauce; recipe follows

Directions

After you have made your Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese in the last recipe, in order to deep fry it, it has to be cooled completely in a refrigerator. Once chilled, you want to proportion the mac n' cheese into meatball sized balls (or however big you'd like). 

Combine all the dry ingredients (Flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper & kosher salt) mix with a fork until well incorporated. Separate the flour mixture in half and distribute to two separate bowls. Place the eggs into a 3rd bowl and wisk. 

First, coat the mac n' cheese balls in the flour mixture, then coat in egg (letting the excess egg drip off) and then coat in the flour mixture once more. Repeat until all have been coated. 

In a large stock pot, heat the canola oil to 350-365° F. Add the mac n' cheese, in batches (you don't want to try to fry all of them at once!) and fry until golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Plate and serve with the cajun ranch dipping sauce!

Cajun Ranch Dipping Sauce

Mix 1 cup of ranch dressing with 4 tablespoon of cajun seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve alongside the Deep Fried Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese Balls. 

Knife Skills

The first legit cooking job I had was at the Nittany Lion Inn and you know what the first thing I had to do was?? Dice about 50 pounds of onions...I was a green horn and didn't know how to do anything and after the first one I was quickly taught how to do it properly. I can't tell you how many times I've passed on my onion dicing technique and it may seem kind of juvenile. But, I have found that it's those little basic kitchen skills that if we hone (dicing vegetables, cooking the perfect egg, etc) it makes life 10x easier and usually makes the quality of what you're cooking better because you have consistency.

The first thing in cutting ANYTHING is having a good quality, sharp knife. If you don't have one, please, do yourself a favor and go pick one up. You don't need a $100 knife, but you can find a decent knife for around $20-$30. 

Whole Onion

Next thing you want to do is place your onion on a cutting board and cut it in half vertically making sure that you're keeping the root intact. You want to keep the root because that will help you keep the onions form when you make the necessary cuts. Remove the skin and discard.

Halved w/ skin removed

Next you are going to want to make horizontal slits, following the natural ribs in the onion. Keep the width consistent so that when you finally dice the onion you have consistent pieces. If they aren't you are going to have pieces that cook faster or slower. Cutting your veggies the same size, leads to even cooking. 

Horizontal slits

Finally, grip the onion like a tennis ball to keep it all together and cut down through the onion to dice it. Again, making sure to use nice and consistent strokes. Hopefully this helps, if not Gordon Ramsey has a good video showing a little bit different technique, but the same concept.