Quick and Easy Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Click on Image to Enlarge
2 TBS Olive oil
2 TBS Butter
1 TBS green onions or 1 1/2 tsp dried chives  
1 TBS Fresh Parsley or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1 TBS Basil Leaves or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1 TBS Lemon Juice
2 Clove Garlic diced or 1 tsp granulated garlic
3 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 Ounces shrimp and/or Scallops  
8 Ounces Fettuccine or Linguine boiled al dente in salted water (water should taste like the sea) 

Put the first seven ingredients in a pan and saute the shrimp until cooked through (pink in color).

Take the cooked and drained pasta and pour over the shrimp and combine with the cheese. Re-heat if necessary and adjust salt and pepper and then plate. 

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese  

Enjoy! 

Homemade Pickled Vegetable Medley

Click on Pic to Enlarge
This recipe is for a gallon jar.


1 Small Cauliflower (buds cut into bite sized pieces)
12 Radishes (halved)
1 Large Red Onion (sliced and rings separated)
2 Zucchinis (quartered, seeds removed)  
2 Cucumbers (same as above)
1 Yellow Squash (same as above)


For the Brine:


4 Bay Leaves
1 TBSP Coriander Seeds
1 TBS Celery Seeds
1/4 Heaping Cup Kosher Salt
4 Cups White Vinegar
4 Cups water


Wash and cut the veggies and toss in a very large mixing bowl and place them in a  sanitized 1 gallon lidded jar.

Place the brine ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the bay leaves and pour the hot brine over the veggies. Let cool, cover, wait a week, refrigerate and wait at least 48 hours before trying them.

As for the brine you can use it in a salad and just add some virgin oil as I do or you can use it for a a variety of medicinal uses as described thru the link provided below.

Uses for Pickle Juices

Homemade Pizza

Click on Image to Enlarge

1/3 Cup Diced green Bell Pepper wrapped in paper towel to absorb the excess water
1/2 can sliced Ripe Olives, wrap in paper towel
Thinly sliced Onion if you like – wrap in paper towel
8 ounces Provolone Cheese (not sharp)
8 ounces Mozzarella cheese
10 – 12 oz Italian Sausage – casing removed
4 oz. Pepperoni
8 oz. fresh white mushrooms
Freshly grated “quality” Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil (not virgin)
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Hot Pepper flakes

Sauce:
Saute – 3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Anchovy fillets or 1 tsp anchovy paste
4 Clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried oregano 
1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes

Add one, 
28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes crushed by hand in a bowl

While simmering add:

1/2 tsp sugar
1 very small pinch of baking soda 
Salt and pepper
Simmer for 30-45 minutes

Place the dough on a pizza pan and lightly brush pizza dough with olive oil and the sauce. Then top the pizza with the cheese, strategically place the pepperoni on the pizza and place “small globs” of the uncooked sausage between the pepperoni slices, sprinkle the veggies on top and lightly sprinkle with the oregano and pepper flakes .  
In a 500 degree preheated oven place with the rack in the middle position cook the pizza for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly and the crust is crispy.
When done, place the pizza on a trivet to cool and to give the pizza time to settle…about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, slice and serve.

Roasted Airline Chicken Breasts in Wine Sauce

Click to enlarge
   So, what the heck is an airline chicken breast? It‘s a boneless chicken breast with the drumette attached. Skin on breast with 1st wing joint attached, otherwise it’s boneless. The cut is also known as a frenched breast


     2 whole airline chicken breasts or boneless skin-on chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)

  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
  • 1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives or 1/2 tbs dried
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves or 1/2 tbs dried
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 tbs dried
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil (optional) or 1/2 dried

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 450°F. Pat chicken breasts dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an oven-safe medium stainless steel skillet over high heat until just starting to smoke. Carefully lay chicken breasts into hot skillet skin side down. Cook for about 6 minutes without moving until skin releases from the pan and turn over and transfer skillet to the oven.


While chicken roasts, combine wine and stock in a liquid measuring cup and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Set aside.


Cook chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken breasts registers 160°F, about 7 to 12 minutes. Remove skillet from oven wearing mit’s or using pot holders and transfer chicken to a trivet and then placing the chicken on a cutting board and tent loosely with foil and let it rest while you make the pan sauce.


Remembering to use mits or pot holders pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet and place over high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine/stock mixture and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Continue cooking on high heat until sauce is reduced by about two thirds, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in butter and soy sauce and cook at a hard boil until emulsified, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Stir herbs into the pan sauce. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper. Deeply score or slice each chicken breasts into three pieces on a sharp bias and transfer to individual serving plates spoon sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.





  

Fish Veracruz

fish vera cruz
Click in image to enlarge
Fish Veracruz

Ingredients for 2 servings:

flakey fish fillets such as Cod for 2 persons
cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon caper brine
1 large jalapeño, sliced, seeded
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup sliced Castelvetrano green olives, or any green olive
2 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
2 limes

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C)

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat . Stir in onion; cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 6 to 7 minute.  Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add capers and caper juice; stir to combine.

Stir in tomatoes, olives, jalapeno pepper and cook and stir until jalapeño pepper softens and tomatoes begin to collapse, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in oregano.

Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into a small baking dish. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the tomato-olive mixture.  Top with 1 fish fillet, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Top with more filling and juice from 1 lime.  


Bake in the preheated oven until fish is flaky and no longer translucent, 15 to 20 minutes.

Complements of Chef John

Chicken Ballotine with Spinach, Parmesan Cheese and Italian Bread Crumbs

Barr’s Chicken Ballotine 

Pic of 1/2 Chicken

1 Boned Chicken (leave the wings intact)
1/2 Cup Thawed Frozen Chopped Spinach 
1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
1 Cup Seasoned Croutons 
2 Tbsp Veggie Oil
Chicken Seasoning
1 Qt. Chicken Broth
Chicken Base
Wondera
Herbs de Provence 

Lay the boned chicken skin skin side down and spread open. Combine the spinach, cheese and bread crumbs and spread on top of the chicken making sure to stuff the leg cavity.
Bring the two sides of the chicken/filling together until they meet in the center and gently turn the chicken skin side up.
With butchers twine tie the roast in 4 different places to securely close the open part of the chicken and sprinkle with the herbs.
In a roasting pan add in the oil at high temp until the oil is very hot and place the chicken skin down. Turn the chicken to ensure that all of the skin is browned.
With the chicken skin side up place a corded temp probe inserted into a meaty part of the chicken breast. Place the pan into a preheated 400 degree temp oven with the rack at medium level and roast until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees and remove the roast to a cutting board to rest.
In the roasting pan, add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan at medium heat. Add in the chicken base a Tsp at a time until the gravy suites your taste. Add Wondera or a corn starch slurry to thicken and add in the tarragon. 
Remove the twine and slice the roast in 1 inch thick slices. ENJOY!

Fried Chicken

Barr’s Fried Chicken

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/3 Cup Bad Byron’s Butt Rub
2 tsp Cayenne for spicy chicken (optional)
Veggie oil

Sprinkle the chicken pieces liberally with Bad Byron’s Butt Rub.  Combine the 1/3 cup Butt Rub with all purpose flour and cayenne pepper if using. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture and place them on a wire rack/baking pan. Let the pieces sit for 15 minutes then dredge a second time.

In a straight sided fry pan add enough oil to come to the centerline of the thickest piece of chicken and heat to 350 degrees. After you add in the chicken the temp of the oil will naturally drop so you will need to increase the oil temp until the temp maintains 300 degrees for a proper cooking temp.

Place the chicken skin side down into the hot oil and fry on both sides until the crispy and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  This is could be as much as 10 minutes per side total but I generally turn the chicken pieces every 5 minutes to keep the skin from burning. Remove the chicken to a wire rack/baking sheet. During the rest period on the rack the internal temp will rise to at least 165.

Let cool and serve with mashed potatoes.

In the time that it takes to play In A Godda Da Vida you could be eating this:

In A Godda Da Vida

Chicken, Pork or Beef Satay

Satay
Click on image to enlarge – A Chef John’s Food Wishes Recipe  

2 lbs chicken, pork or a tender cut of beef about ½ -inch thick
Satay Marinade: 
1 tbsp grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbs minced onion
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 rounded Tbsp minced lemongrass 
Mix the ingredients and combine with the meat(s). Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to as many as 24 hours.  
Peanut Dipping Sauce – Makes about 1 1/2 cup
3/4 cup smooth all-natural, pure peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp fish sauce 
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 lime, juiced
sriracha or other hot chili sauce, to taste
1 small can (5.6 oz) coconut milk

Combine at low-med heat and serve or refrigerate and microwave when needed. Ladle over the grilled meats.  

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Breast or Thigh meat (my favorite) 
Olive oil for frying (not Virgin)
1 Large Yellow Bell Pepper 
1 Large Red Bell Pepper
1 Large Green Bell Pepper
14 ounces+ Fresh Mushrooms

Fry chicken in the oil until 1/2 done and remove from pan. In the same pan add in the mushrooms a TBS of butter and a pinch of salt and cook until tender and then add in medium sized slices of the peppers  and cook at medium temp for 5 minutes stirring as needed.

Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer slowly until the peppers are near tender.  

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and add to pot and simmer until they are no longer pink on the inside and the peppers are tender. Serve over Fettuccine or rice.  

Sprinkle with real Parmesan, not the stuff in the green tube.