Superbowl menu (at least some of it)

Chicken Parm in a Skillet

In less than 30 minutes you can have an amazing Italian Dinner with minimal effort! Chicken Parmesan in a skillet and  Pasta. Add some Garlic Bread and a Salad and you are done after a long day.  I like this meal because its full of flavor with a minimal amount of ingredients and effort.

On the way home, get skinless boneless chicken breast.  Also stop by your Italian Sulameria  and pick up a can of San Marzano tomatoes, and yes there is a difference, some large green olives (the big ones in brine), Fresh grated cheese (a blend of pecorino and parmesan), capers, oregano (on the branch) and olive oil.

Now I will show you the products I prefer to use but again, feel free to use your own.  Things like breadcrumbs and garlic already in your pantry  are also used for this dish but really that’s it.

MR BRANZINO MR BRANZINO! YUM

So  I took off on a mission to get some fish.  And not just any fish.  I was looking or should I say hoping that my grocery store had Orata.  Its specific to the Mediterranean and is comparable to a great snapper. It was there and quite pricey so my fishmonger suggested I try a fish called Branzino which at the time was a $3.00 difference compared to the Orata.  I trust him well enough and so I took the fish home while deciding what dish I would come up with.

Now if the Orata is comparable to Snapper then the Branzino can easily be compared to a Sea Bass.  In fact its called the European Sea Bass and can readily be found in North Italian waters.  If you need more info please WIKI it.  There is an extensive article but for the moment lets do the dish.

Branzino seasoned and ready to stuff.

I wanted this to be good! I mean how can you mess up Sea Bass?!  I’m sure it could be done but……  I remembered going to a barbeque in the Bronx, (Jamaican), where this guy made Roasted Fish.  Whole fish stuffed with okra scallion all spice salt and pepper and the resident pepper wrapped in foil and roasted on the grill. 

Lobster meat and chopped Scallion

Chopped fresh Thyme, Peppercorns and Allspice

No Scotch Bonnet but Habanero serves just as well.

 He also put that Jamaican cracker (water biscuit ) in each fish.

Jamaican biscuit (Water Crackers)

  


This sounded like a good start, but tweaked with a bit of lobster, it can only grow into a masterpiece!  I don’t mean to toot my own horn, fact is that you can do this too and just as simple!
Lobster Meat
½ cup Frozen Okra
¼ cup Scallion
1 tbsp fresh chopped Thyme
½ tbsp Allspice
Salt to taste
Fresh ground Black Pepper to taste
Hot pepper
2 Crackers per fish


Stuff all in clean prepared (well seasoned) fish with head on and  drizzle heavily with olive oil.  Wrap each fish in foil and roast in pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 20 mins.  Another 10 on broil and enjoy!

Finished product!

It was incredible! And yes you can substitute the Okra for any other vege!

New Zealand Littleneck Clams

Fairways never disappoints, and if you don’t have one in your area, I apologize ahead of time.  Each week I go I am excited to see whats on my fishmongers menu as it varies with availability and or season.  Well I was sure I was getting a whole Branzino (one of my favorite fish), but right by the regular Littleneck Clams was a delightful collection of the New Zealand version.  I had to grab them. Here’s a little info about these little gems.

This clam, more traditionally known as the New Zealand cockle, tuaki or tuangi, is the single most abundant large invertebrate animal found on intertidal sand flats in sheltered harbors and estuaries throughout New Zealand.  They have been exported to a dozen countries for over twenty years. These carefully managed wild stocks are harvested in the brilliantly clear unpolluted waters of New Zealand’s Southern Pacific Ocean, on the Otago Coast located on southeast New Zealand).



Now the easiest way to prepare these is with a 20 minute soak, a good scrub, dry and they are ready.  I pefer to soak in water  with sea salt and these really didn’t need a soak longer than the 20 minutes.  You will find more work necessary with sandier clams.

Now these clams are meaty sweet and succlent and do not need a lot of work. Here is my take on about a pound and a half of these to create an appetizer.  I was gonna make it with pasta but if simply did not survive my husband.  I finally gave in and enjoyed with a good glass of wine.

1 chopped onion

¼ cup of Italian parsley

2 tablespoons of capers (in brine and do not rinse, this will be your salt)

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Crushed red pepper to taste 

2 tablespoon each butter and olive oil

Add oil and butter to hot wide saucepan

Add cleaned clams and all seasonings.  Stir vigorously and quickly and then cover.

  On high heat this should take about five minutes of so for all of the clams to explode and release the delicious liquor inside.  

That’s it!  Its quick delicious healthy and so simple.  It is absolutely  delish with pasta but as in this case, we never got that far! 

Don’t let clams intimidate you from enjoying the wonders of the sea! Here’s to Good Eats! 

PATACONES

Living in New York you know all about the food trucks. The good the bad the ugly and now the vast improvement that has been made on this New York tradition. Now I can say that as a true New Yorker, it is necessary to eat from one of these trucks once in your life. I mean its just necessary and often you won’t have a choice as you do your hustle in the city.
After receiving many bad raps regarding storage or hygiene many of these trucks in recent years are now owned by fledging would be restaurateurs, chefs. specialty cooks who have found their passion in serving up their delicacies right on the street. We now have what’s called the Vendy awards given every year to the most outstanding truck and this has become nationwide.

I’ll stop here as I could go on and on about these trucks because this is really about a sandwich inspired by one of the Vendy 2010 nominees  called the “Patacones”. The truck I took the idea from was Patacon Pisao located at 431 W. 202nd Street New York, NY 10034 between 9^th and 10^th.

The sandwich inspired from them is a delectable melange of flavors that I created with what was available in the pantry.

I started with beef, you could use type of meat or even a great vegetarian warm mushroom salad. The beef is marinated in ginger, garlic, oregano, salt, Pepper, and a pinch of sugar and sautéed quickly.

I roasted the corn right on the stove. It works great but if your kitchen is small use the vent. Use a medium to medium high heat turning frequently. Don’t worry about the popping. The corn will start to smell really good and it will start to brown and char a bit. Gage it to your own liking as even raw it is quite delicious and full of fiber.

The plantains are peeled cut in half and deep fried, mashed and then refried again. You may skip refrying for a more chewy plantain but the second time makes it extra crunchy.

The corn is removed from the cob, fresh cilantro, julienned jalapeños (from the garden), salt, pepper, olive oil and oregano are all tossed together with chipotle mayonnaise .

You make this simply by blending chipotle peppers and mayonnaise to top this off and voila!

The finished project is as delicious as it is messy but so worth the adventure to make! Thanks Patacon Pisao.

BUTTA PARKAY!!! (Part 2)

Don’t you love Parmigiano Reggiano cheese? I know I’m on the cheese thing again! But the fact is that my other butter comes from this area.


Location, location, location,!  In this case an incredibly rich area of Italy





The Piazza in Reggio Emila! I loved Europe for this!


It is called Delitia, but I call it Delite!This butter is very fragrant but has a delicate flavor that instantly melts on your tongue. Now let me explain this for a minute; If you take a small amount of say Land O’ Lakes butter on your tongue it melts to an oily water feel. You will recognize instantly with this butter it disolves in a sweet creaminess and then is gone with no aftertaste.





Delightful Delitia!



The milk is collected from Parma and Reggio Emilia family owned farms. The pasteurized creams from the milk is strictly selected in accordance with extraordinary and rigorous disciplinary of production leaving this butter in my opinion without equal!

Farm area in the Reggio Emilio

This dense butter has its water content during production dispersed in fine droplets which make the butter look dry. The butterfat however, at around 83% makes it nice, nice, nice!

What to enjoy this with best you ask? Fresh baked bread, any kind! It is so luscious it will then easily guide you to enjoy it on all your favorite foods! Someone say lobster!!! The clarified butter this produces is all flavor, and flavor so intense that Alaskan King Crabs take on a whole new meaning!

BUTTA!!! PARKAY!!! (Part 1)

Butta Parkay!!!

I love butter! Make no apologies for it! Is always on the conquest for the good better, best butter! In fact in Jamaica the big pound bar of butter is called “Best Butter”. Now just calling yourself ‘best’ doesn’t mean you are! Butter has several components that create the flavor so desired by those who enjoy this dairy treat. So depending on the water content, salt, and whether its cow, sheep, or even buffalo, the flavor can differ greatly! Oh and using the word dairy loosely I am! It appears there is also almond butter, peanut butter, apple butter, and a host of other butters out there. At this time, we are dealing with two of my favorite ‘dairy’ butters that I simply love and would love to share with you.
Before I go further I encourage you to check WIKI for an in depth discussion regarding butter. But so as not to bore everyone suffice to say “butter is a water-in-oil emulsion resulting from an inversion of the cream, an oil-in-water emulsion; the milk proteins are the emulsifiers.  Butter remains a solid when refrigerated, but softens to a spread able consistency at room temperature, and melts to a thin liquid consistency when heated,” That quote is taken directly from the WIKI page as I couldn’t have said it better if I tried!

Kerry the Irish

 

The Dubliner that started all of this!

 My sister is a cheese junkie! All kinds, every kind! Even my first experience with the stinky cheese was through her. And so when she gave me a taste of Kerrygold’s Dubliner cheese I wasn’t surprised that it was incredible! Yes I remember we are talking butter! I then found there was a host of wonderful products by this brand.









When I stumbled upon the butter in my local grocers, I ran home in sheer delight to cook my Patty Ann squashes and mini-zucchinis with it and would not be disappointed!

Preparing the squashes



In the pan with the mini zuchini




The butter and sea salt is all the magic needed


You have already guessed no doubt that Kerrygold hails from the ‘Island of 40 shades of green’ as Ireland is frequently referred to. Kerrygold also has its own website. The website is quite thorough and rather incredible as they really attempt to share a piece of Ireland with you so I encourage you to visit it! Kerrygold Butter is made by a cooperative of farmers and dairy creameries in Ireland and comes both salted and unsalted.



Ok so I started using before I took the picture! YUM


The cows are grass fed (and we all know what Ireland looks like). They produce the sweet, rich milk , which makes the butter taste silky and creamy. The rich intense grass creates a butter with a high beta-carotene content and gives the butter a healthy, golden yellow glow. It’s a great all-purpose, European-style butter that leaves no question that you will use this butter again and again! It also has a high butterfat content and as we know the less water, more flavor! The Ghee that you make from this butter is intense and nutty to taste soon to be a staple in your pantry!

For The Love of Oysters

Many many years ago when the world was young and so was I, I fell in love with oysters. I have always seen food as an adventure and have never been afraid to try anything except pork products. Oysters were no exception and my first experience with them was raw at now defunct Studebakers Restaurant on the west coast of Florida. You see on Sundays it was all you could eat seafood as long as you kept drinking. Fruit de Mer in abundance and dancing too. It was oldies but we didn’t care, we had free seafood and libations at prices no longer seen.
It occurred to me to often down several dozen oysters with friends as the fishmonger/server guy took us through the different varietals. And I quickly graduated from oysters doused in cocktail sauce and horseradish to au naturel. A fresh oyster needs nothing but your assistance in enjoying! Interesting now that I look back I was never really interested in shucking them, only eating them. Though I really enjoyed watching the performance of some shuckers my goal was to consume as much as they and my body would let me.
Fast-forward I’m in the grocery just recently staring down at some of the most delicious looking oysters I had seen in a minute and my mouth quickly watered ’a la Wendy Williams’ at the memories of my years of oyster eating chow downs that were so important to me at one time. I had to get some and test the waters so to speak but how to shuck them?!? Did I need a shucking knife now? Well my trusty fish monger told me 15 minutes on the freezer and they would relax enough so that a knife would slip right in! Turns out he was right and I must say I impressed even me!!! Turns out it impressed my husband’s difficult to please Aunt as well! The kitchen Gods smile!

A little history about oysters


The jewels of the sea fully scrubbed and ready for the freezer

Oysters have a long history on the human table. There is proof that they were consumed as far back as pre-historic times. Traditionally, oysters were considered to be an aphrodisiac. Due to their high zinc content and also the fact that they are rich in amino acids it turns out these help generously in the sex department.
　
　
These lovely creatures vary in North America from a West Coast oyster such as the Tornado Cove or Royal Miyagi which taste less like the ocean and a bit more buttery and or even the distinctive taste of the famous Kumamoto from Humboldt Bay The Blue Point from New York and the Cape May in New Jersey. There are more varieties as well and the water and its content will really determines its flavor.

It was once assumed that oysters were only safe to eat in months with the letter ‘r’ in their English and French names. This is a myth whose basis in truth is that in the northern hemisphere oysters are much more likely to spoil in May, June, July, and August. This is really about the water temperature and my only advice because man always messes with nature (pollution), people who have a low immune system may want to stay away from them during these months. I don’t know but also do not think this applies to farm raised oysters.







What To Do! What to Do!

Oysters are eaten in every way possible including pickled! It or its liqueur is also used in a variety of drinks. Oysters Rockefeller is divine but I cant ever imagine anything more delicious as cracking open the shell fresh caught with nothing but anticipation!. Oysters to me are best served raw and cold! Rich in vitamins and minerals (please note I feel nothing farm raised is going to be what I think nature intended so I only buy sustainable wild seafood), they are also low in calories which make it a great for calorie conscious folks.
Oyster has a very complex flavor and depending on which region your oysters are from the flavor will also vary. Their ‘flavor profile’ you will find sometimes sweet with a fruity finish, sometimes briny, salty, and the texture can vary as well. I realize there are those who will never get over the explosions of flavor from a very delicate fleshy yet firm texture but I delight in it!
Below is my own version of a Mignonette sauce, which is just a lemon wine and shallot based sauce that works well with wine and when the plan is to consume as much oysters as possible.

The oysters will need cleaning so a good sturdy kitchen or seafood brush comes in handy here.  As an amateur I made sure I scrubbed to avoid any grit when serving.   I then placed them in the fridge for approximately 12 to 15 minutes.  This does depend on the fridge so its ok to start checking after 10 minutes or so. 

Slipping the knife gently under preserves the delicate meat

You won't see any big crack openings but an ever so slight space to insert your knife. I used a big towel to avoid cutting my hand off.  Shucking does take some strenght and some getting used to.  I also used my kitchen counter as a level surface to avoid spilling one drop of the delicious oyster liqueur.   When shucking, once the oysters have opened gently take the knife and run under the oyster to detach it from the shell and make it easier to eat.  I then placed the oysters on a bed of ice, saran wrapped and placed them in the refrigerator while I made the sauce.

Saucy Sauce

I knew I wanted to have a lemon based sauce, but also light enough to complement and not mask all the flavors and textures the oyster so lovingly shares. To accomplish this I compiled the following ingredients

1/2 a medium jalapeño finely chopped

Small bunch of cilantro finely chopped

1 mediun shallot finely chopped

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

salt

fresh ground pepper

dash of red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients together well. Spoon about 1/2 a tablespoon on  each oyster depending on size and to taste.  Serve immediately so a not to allow the lemon juice to cook the meat.



Finely diced shallots, jalepenos, lemon juice and more tops the oysters.



Whiney Winey

This can be a very contentious issue.  You know, the wine thing!  Seems everyone is their own best..... and worst sommelier and more and more everyone has their own opinion on which wine works with what, and why.  Well I, also being opinionated will make my own suggestion.  To compliment my oysters a clean light wine is best so I got a chardonnay/chenin blend.  The chard for the oakiness and subtle flavor, the chenin for its light and fresh taste so as not to cancel the oyster flavors but rather round the flavors out.  Both have a bit of fruitiness so the blend is superb for most oyster varietals.

The finished delightfully delicious dish

It is still a dish I'm working on getting my husband to try.  He simply could not get past the glistening jewels staring back at him.  I've heard it said that most try their first oyster almost always raw, and on a dare.  Frankly I enjoy them so I dont think I'm ready to dare him yet!

Mofongo, Its Easy!



Plantains Ripe and Green


Fried plantains, ripe and green, they are as much a part of my heritage as apple pie to America. And though not Puerto Rican I have always enjoyed a well made Mofongo. Well to be honest it really is very difficult to mess up mashed plantains and pork cracklings mixed together in a garlicky sauce. Mofongo, is one of the most popular dishes in Puerto Rico. It has clear roots in the Fufu of West Africa.



Fufu



Fufu is a mash of yams or other starches served as an accompaniment to meat or vegetable stews. To eat fufu, pull a small ball of mush off with your fingers, form an indentation with your thumb and use it to scoop up stews and other dishes. Or place large balls in individual serving bowls and spoon stew around them.
Now when I think of it, I grew up eating mashed green bananas with butter salt and pepper. Don’t knock it till you try it with well cooked Five Spice Stewed Chicken. I must now pick my jaw up from of the floor. Oh yes this was about Mofongo!

Mofongo in a Pilon

The classic way to serve mofongo is in the bamboo mortar (pilón) in which it was mashed. Sometimes the meat is added right in the center of the mash and served as a complete dish. I have also seen it formed in balls as a side dish. Now here is where you can make it more user friendly. No charronnes! I don’t eat it but it does add the delish flavor with the garlic and olive oil. You can still add the garlic and olive oil or omit all together. If you choose to omit, work quickly as it will dry out quickly.



Served as a side





Now I decided to go a stretch further.  After frying the plantains the first time, mash them while warm and cover with a damp cloth so mixture stays moist while forming cups.. Lightly grease a small cup with canola oil (the best is a Asian tea cup).
Take the greased cup and stuff it with the mashed plantain. Form a shell with the mixture about ¼ inch thick and gently slide the plantain cups from the tea cups. These are then refried to form what you see below. Any stewed meat mixture from shrimp, chicken, pulled pork, beef, goat. Ah the delight!!!

I made a chicken chipotle mixture with raisins chopped cilantro and scallions pictured below. One cup per person was enough served with rice and a salsa salad.



Decilious chicken filling