Gettin’ It On With Mojo

27 Wednesday May 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes, Wine and Food

Fresh Orange-Lime Mojo Dipping Sauce for Take-Out Roast Chicken

Makes about 2 cups and doubles easily. Keeps 4 days in the refrigerator.

1 to 2 large cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 large lime
1 cup orange juice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
6 sprigs parsley (flat-leaf preferred), or 5 large basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup good tasting extra-virgin olive oil

1. Put the garlic in a medium bowl. Squeeze lime juice over it and let stand 15 minutes while you set the table and pour a glass of wine.
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Taste for seasoning and set out in small bowls for dipping in forkfuls of roast chicken.

Golden Rice Salad

Serves 4 and halves or doubles easily.

6-quart pot with 5 quarts of boiling salted water
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1-1/2 cups long grain white rice
[optional] 1 sweet yellow or red pepper cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 whole scallions, thin sliced
20 fresh mint leaves, torn (optional)
2 to 3 tablespoons cider [or sherry] vinegar
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Set the pot of salted water to boil (with the turmeric) before starting the mojo. Once it’s boiling, drop in the rice and boil like pasta for 10 minutes. Taste for tenderness. Cook longer if necessary. You want the rice tender, but not mushy.
2. Toss with the remaining ingredients. Season to taste and serve with the chicken.

LYNNE’S TIPS
Take-out roast chicken is my answer to what’s for supper on those too-tired-to-think nights. Many supermarkets put out a fresh batch right about the time people are stopping to grab something on the way home. Check the label and pick the latest one to emerge from the oven. The time should be noted on the label. If possible, go for an organic chicken.

Make a double batch of this recipe and you’ll have mojo for dressing salads and marinating just about anything, including leftover cooked chicken for tomorrow night’s supper salad.

Do use the juice from a fresh orange, not bottled orange juice. It makes a difference.
A dynamite rice salad is the rice as it is cooked in our recipe then dressed with the mojo.
[Optionally add pineapple and/or mandarin orange sections – for more ‘golden’ fruit. ] RY

The chicken we chose was an Albertsons Roast with Basil and Garlic.
The wines that accompanied this meal were the 2008 Parma Ridge Vineyards Gewurtztraminer … a purest’s perfection of spice and fruit, very Alsatian Dry style, an exceptional effort – not many wines accompany oranges in recipes, but this and the 2008 Indian Creek Winery Syringa = ‘Mock Orange’ = Idaho’s State Flower … which has a ‘Syringa bouquet’ and the blend of 60% Gewurtztraminer, 20% Riesling and 20% Chardonnay were really exciting, refreshing and both paired well with the food.

Thank You to Lynne Rosetto Kaspar for the incentive to try this ‘mojo meal’ … we may have to try it with mojitos. Yummmmmo

Poulet Rouge

09 Saturday May 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes, Wine and Food

≈ 2 Comments

Here is a recipe for an easy and good way to make a chicken dish. Try it … You’ll like it.

Poulet Rouge

Source: Bob and Robin Young
Serves: 4

4 med Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
¼ c Tarragon, fresh
2 T Thyme, fresh
4 med cloves Garlic, diced
1 – 8oz can Stewed Tomatoes, Italian Style
¼ c Olive Oil
¼ c Sweet White Wine
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Place all ingredients, except chicken, into an immersion blender container. Blend well.
2. Place chicken in a small skillet and pour the marinade over. Place in refrigerator and cool for 2 hours. Before cooking, bring to room temperature.
3. Simmer over med-low heat until the chicken is cooked – 175ºF internal temperature.
4. Serve on a platter: Spoonful of hot marinade, chicken breast and another spoonful of marinade. Serve with sliced carrots and peas.

Note: You can double this recipe with no problems.

This might be good also over a small bed of rice or linguine. A glass of a sweet, white wine might also go good with it. Give it a try. Cheers!

San Francisco Sourdough French Bread

26 Sunday Apr 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes, Side Dishes

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Here is a great recipe for San Francisco Sourdough French Bread. Actually, the starter is a modified Friendship Bread starter. The starter looks sweet, but it really is not over-powering and obnoxious, as in Southern Sweet Tea.

San Francisco Sourdough French Bread

1½ c warm Water
1 c Sourdough Starter (Recipe below)
4 c Bread Flour
3 t Sugar
1½ t Sea Salt
2 to 2½ more cups of Bread Flour
½ to 1 t Baking Soda

Combine water, starter, 4 cups flour, sugar and salt in a glass bowl. Mix well, cover lightly with a towel folded into several thicknesses, and let stand at room temperature for approximately 18 to 24 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Mix 1 cup of the remaining flour with ½ teaspoon of the baking soda and stir this into the risen dough until it is very stiff. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead approximately 1 more cup of flour and a little more baking soda into it. Knead it for 5 to 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Shape into 2 long loaves or 1 large round loaf, place on a lightly greased baking sheet, cover, and let stand in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours or until almost doubled in size. You may wish to sprinkle cornmeal on the greased baking sheet or line it with kitchen parchment before placing the bread on it. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

To make a wash, bring 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small pan over low heat. Stir until it becomes thick and clear. Brush each loaf with it. OR brush a little water on top of the loaves and make a few diagonal slits across the top with a sharp knife. For a crustier bread, place a shallow pan of water in the bottom of the oven. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is a medium dark brown – 190°F.

Sourdough Starter

1 c All-Purpose Flour
1 c Whole Milk
1 T Active Dry Yeast
1 c Sugar
Bring the milk to room temperature. Add the sugar and yeast and dissolve. Let bloom.
Mix Starter Ingredients in a non-metalic bowl and let stand at room temperature – undisturbed – for 24 – 36 hours.

Next Day – Add
1 c All-Purpose Flour
1 c Sugar
1 c Whole Milk or Buttermilk
Place in a non-reactive bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover and let set at room temperature for 7 days before using.

There you have it. Yes, it does take a little time for the starter, but if you keep replenishing it, it will keep for a very long time – Robin and I did have some, reportedly, from the Lewis and Clarke expedition. But try this bread and let us know how it came out for you. We think it’s pretty good. Here is a Direct Link to the recipe. Cheers!

2 Classic Sauces

22 Wednesday Apr 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes

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Let’s see …. The kitchen remodel is done, the concrete is poured, the IWC is over (except for medal deliveries). What to do? Jerri Nelson (Idaho Hotel, Silver City, ID) asked me a while ago for a wine reduction sauce. Here are two of them and they are slightly different from each other, but will both work well with pork tenderloin or center cut chops or with beef. If you do not have this resource, help the economy and purchase it. Amazon (dot) com is an excellent source. The Sauce Bible: Guide to the Saucier’s Craft, David Paul Larousse, 1993. ISBN: 13: 978-0-471-57228-2.

Wine Merchant Butter (Beurre Marchand de Vin)

1 Shallot, minced
1 T Parsley, Minced
1 c dry Red Wine
½ lbs Butter, unsalted and soft
1 c Beef Stock
pinch White Pepper

1. Simmer the shallot and wine until reduced by half. Add the stock and continue to reduce until 2 Tablespoons of liquid remain.
2. Whip the reduction along with the remaining ingredients until thoroughly blended.
3. Wrap the butter and store in a refrigerator.

Marchand de Vin indicates a dish seasoned with red wine and shallot reduction. Any grilled or broiled meat can be garnished with this rich butter.

Mango-Port Sauce

1 ripe Mango
2 c Heavy Cream
1 Shallot, Minced
4 T Unsalted Butter, ¼ inch chunks
½ c Port Wine
Salt and Pepper to taste
¼ t Sugar

1. Peel, pit and purée the mango in a food processor.
2. Simmer the shallot and port wine until about 2 Tablespoons remain. Add the mango purée and sugar and continue cooking until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Add the cream and blend well, and simmer until reduced by one-third or until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.
4. Add the butter and blend continuously, until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a warm place until ready to use.

Hint: When making butter based sauces and reducing with wine, Do Not exceed 130ºF to guard against the sauce breaking. Mango-Port Sauce is good with any grilled or broiled beef or pork, especially a tenderloin or Rib-Eye.

If you would like hard copies from the web, here are the links:
1. Wine Merchant Butter (Beurre Marchand de Vin)
2. Mango-Port Sauce

Good Luck with the sauces and Cheers!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

07 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes

≈ 2 Comments

We wanted something different to go with Roast Beef last night. So, to change from the “standard” French Fry type potato, Robin came up with these Sweet Potato Fries. A good sweet change from the “standard”. Enjoy!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium-sized Sweet Potatoes*
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ t Cumin
½ t Oregano
½ t Coriander
1 t Kosher Salt
1 t Parsley
Fresh Ground Pepper (about 10 turns of a pepper mill)

*you want 1lb sweet potatoes after they are peeled, sliced, etc. If you weigh them at the store make sure you have a little more than a pound to allow for the peeling, and tossing of small pieces.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over them. Use your hands to make sure each one is coated. If you’ve got more than a pound of sweet potatoes, add a little extra olive oil. They should all be glistening.

In a separate bowl, combine all of the herbs and spices. Then sprinkle on the oiled potatoes and continue to toss until well coated.

Place the fries on the baking sheet. It’s very important that they are not touching.
Place cookie sheet in pre-heated oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Don’t open the oven door, not even for a peak! Let them do their thing.

After 15 minutes take pan of oven and flip the fries. Put the pan in the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them. They should be nice and golden brown. Crispy crunchy on the outside, and sweet and soft in the middle. Take them out of the oven and serve immediately. They cool off very quickly so they’re best eaten right away. Serves about 4.

Lamb Paella

28 Saturday Mar 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes

≈ 2 Comments

To celebrate National Spanish Paella Day, I just had top make a Lamb Paella. It really turned out good!! And it went very well with the Basque Sheepherder’s Bread, recipe in a prior post.

Here is the Lamb Paella. The recipe is printed below.

It was good to have Geno and Debra to try this with me. We will probably see this again, some day!

Authentic Lamb Paella

· Olive Oil (enough to cover the bottom of the paella pan)
· 1 med Yellow onion, diced
· 6 cloves Garlic, chopped
· 2 lbs Lamb, cut into chunks
· 2 Chorizos, diced
· ¼ lbs Green Beans (Spanish-bachoqueta)
· 4 med Roma Tomatoes, ripe and chopped
· 2 Roasted Red Bell pepper, cut into strips – roast your own
· 2 Roasted Yellow Bell pepper, cut into strips – roast your own
· 1 t Saffron
· 2 t of smoky Paprika
· 8 cups Beef stock, warmed to 190 degrees F
· 3 c Spanish Rice
· Sea Salt ( to taste)

First, add the olive oil to the paella pan and cook the onion and until it is translucent over med low heat. Add the garlic and stir. Add the lamb and cook until lightly browned. Add the diced chorizos and cook for 4 minutes. Then add the green beans and cook them together with the meat. While they are cooking, make a clearance in the middle of the paella pan and fry the chopped tomatoes and roasted peppers until they look a little pasty, quickly adding the paprika and saffron, stirring quickly and immediately adding the beef stock until it is almost to the top of the paella pans edge.

Cook all the ingredients for about 20 minutes over a high simmer and tasting for salt. After 20 minutes we add the rice, distributing it evenly, making sure the rice is covered with liquid. The heat should be medium high, not interrupting the boil. It takes about 20 minutes for the paella rice to cook. Do not stir the rice once you have added it to the paella pans, just change its position so that the heat gets to all parts equally. All the stock should be absorbed when finished. Take the paella off the heat and let stand for about 10 minutes covering the top with newspaper. If the rice has been cooked correctly, the rice grains should be loose, not clumped together or having a mushy texture.

For a fantastic table presentation, small wedges of lemon can decorate the border and branches of Romero (aromatic herbs) in the middle. Now you are ready to dig into your paella with wooden spoons and eat directly from the paella pans!

There it is. Cooking time is about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Not in the recipe – for the final 10 minutes, add about one-half cup of a red table wine and let the rice absorb it. This recipe will easily serve 10 – 12 people.

Valentine’s Day Chocolate Tart

15 Sunday Feb 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Dessert, Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes

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Perfectly Simple Dark Chocolate Tart
Adapted from Luscious Chocolate Desserts by Lori Longbotham (Chronicle Books)
Parisian in spirit, this elegant tart is best served with a tiny dollop of crème fraîche on the top or side of each wedge.

Perfectly Simple Dark Chocolate Tart

(Serves 12)

Crust
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, cooled
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Filling
14 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cocoa powder for dusting
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 11-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

2. To make the crust: Process the sugar and walnuts in a food processor until the walnuts are finely ground. Add the flour, cocoa, and salt and pulse just until blended. Add the butter and pulse just until the mixture begins to come together when a small amount is pressed between your fingers; do not overprocess—the mixture should not form a ball. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork.

3. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool on a wire rack while you make the filling.

4. To make the filling: Melt the chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of about 1 1/2 inches of nearly simmering water, whisking until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the eggs and sugar until well blended. Whisk in the vanilla. Transfer the filling to the warm crust.

5. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center; the top of the tart will look a little blistered, and that’s okay. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 1/2 hours.

6. To serve, remove the pan rim. Lightly dust the tart with cocoa powder and serve cut into wedges.

Fasnachts

13 Friday Feb 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipes

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OK, you say, what is a “Fasnachts”? And as my Dad or his Mother would say, “You get to soon oldt and to late schmart!” so here is some information on Fasnachts. (It’s really a family tradition for me – Robin does not like to make the ones with mashed potatoes because it takes a long time. This recipe does not take as long.)

“Fasnachts, Fastnachts or Faschnachts are a fatty doughnut treat served traditionally on Fastnacht Day, the day before Lent starts. Fasnachts were produced as a way to empty the pantry of lard, sugar, fat and butter, which were forbidden during Lent. Some English-speaking Protestants tend to refer to the day as Shrove Tuesday, and many consume pancakes as an alternative.
The German word Fasnacht literally translates as “chamfering night”. Authentic fasnachts are typically cut into squares or rectangles, producing a chamfered edge, as opposed to doughnuts which are round with holes in the center.
In parts of Maryland, the treats are called Kinklings, and is only sold in bakeries on Shrove Tuesday. The German version is made from a yeast dough, deep fried, and coated or dusted in sugar or cinnamon sugar; they may be plain, or filled with fruit jam. Pennsylvania Dutch fasnachts are often made from potato dough, and may be uncoated, or powdered with table sugar or dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
The term now is synonymous with the Carnival season in southern Germany, Switzerland, Alsace and Austria. Although usually written “Fastnacht”, there are many local spoken varieties Fasnacht, Fassenacht, Fasnet etc.

Depending on where you are from the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday has different celebrations but one thing they all have in common is food. Fausnaught is the German word for Donut, Paczi is the Polish equivalent, Pounchki (punchki) is also Polish Version, but in any event we all go out and get our Carb load before the fasting associated with Lent. What any of this has to do with Sexy Girls taking off their shirts I don’t know, but if you load up on Paczki’s you will be quite large, as a traditionally made Paczki Calories can run you well over 800 a piece. More modern versions may actually be better for you as they would not be made with Lard, and Egg Yolks only. So “Laissez les bons temps rouler!” which is cajun/French for Let the Good times Roll. Or in this case Donut.

Fasnacht

Makes 50 fasnacht

¼ cup warm water
1 pkg. yeast
2 tbsp. sugar
2½ cups lukewarm milk
4½ cups flour
4 eggs, beaten
½ cup lard, melted
1 cup sugar
dash of salt
5 ½ cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.
Mix next three ingredients together, then add to yeast mixture. Set in warm place and let rise overnight.
In the morning add next four ingredients. Add last batch of flour slowly; it may not all be needed. Dough should be sticky but able to be handled.
Let rise until doubled, approximately 2 hours.
Roll out and cut with biscuit or doughnut cutter, with or without a center hole. Let rise 1 hour.
Deep fry in hot oil at 375 degrees for several minutes, turning until brown on both sides.

Among the PA Germans, Shrove Tuesday (day before Ash Wednesday) is known as Fassnacht Day (night before the fast). In a symbolic effort to rid their homes of leavening agents and to feast before Lent, many PA Germans cooks spend part of their day making Fassnachts. The cakes are made of yeast dough, and tradition requires that they be shaped in squares or rectangles, with slits cut in them.”

I think this year I will make some.

Whole Wheat Bread

07 Saturday Feb 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Bread, Food, Recipes

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Hi! It seems as if it has been awhile since I last posted. Haven’t heard much from folks. Here is a very healthy Whole Wheat Bread that Robin has me making, but with a twist – it also has flax meal in it. (The recipe is adapted from King Arthur Flour) It is healthy – as bread goes! 171 gms Sodium (roughly 50 gms less than normal bread), 15.5 gms Carbs and very low in fat, 0.23 gms per serving. If you would like the complete breakdown, let me know and I will post it. Anyway, enjoy it – I know you know how to make bread! And don’t forget the Paella Class coming up in March at the Basque Market here in Boise.

Oh well, here is the nutrition for this bread.

Whole Wheat Bread Nutrition

Calories 108.6 gms
Total Fat 0.23 gms
Saturated Fat 0.15 gms
Monosaturated Fat 0.06 gms
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.01 gms
Protien 10.85 gms
Water 533.66 gms
Sodium 171.17 gms
Sugar 15.59 gms
Total Carbohydrates 15.59 gms
Calcium 387.77 mg

Serving Size: 1 Slice, 16 slices per loaf, yield: 1 loaf

Vegetable Paella

26 Monday Jan 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Main Dish, Recipes, Vegetables

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Here’s a recipe that Robin found – some place.

Vegetable Paella – Dinner

SERVES 4

1/3 cup water
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups cut green beans
2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 or 2 ears corn, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed

Place the water, onion, and garlic in a large saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.

Add the broth, pepper, and saffron. Bring to a boil and stir in the rice and green beans. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook over low heat for 8 minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, corn, basil, parsley, and lemon zest. Mix well. Cover and cook for an additional 8 minutes. Add the garbanzo beans and artichoke hearts. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Serve hot.