Article ID: 998514
Article Submitted: February 20, 2008
Category: Food and Drink :: Desserts
Article Word Count: 432
The prep time is very minimal for this fruit crumble, and there will not be much effort spent on cleanup after you get it into the oven. And it is a very tasty dessert for almost any occasion.
Ingredients you will need:
4 Cups of Apples, I prefer Granny Smith, but use what you like
2 Cups of fresh cranberries
2 Cups of sugar
1/4 Cup of brown sugar
2-3 Ounces of a good Brandy, if you will drink it then it is okay to eat it. I prefer not to use any wine that I would not serve at my table.
1 1/2 Cup of rolled oats
3/4 Cup of butter
1/2 Cup of flour
1/2 cup of almonds
1/2 cup of walnuts
You will need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If you are using a gas oven you may need to play with the temperature if you are prone to burn, or over cook things. At this time you will need to get your baking pan, and grease it well. The baking pan you will need to use should be a shallow one that will hold 2-3 quarts. At this time you will need to combine all of your apples, cranberries, and sugar, and brown sugar, into the greased pan. You will then drizzle the Brandy over the mixture. The alcohol will burn off, it is just to add extra flavor.
You will need to have a separate mixing bowl handy, so you can mix the other ingredients to incorporate a good coating of sugar. So, in this separate mixing bowl you will add your rolled oats, sugar, flour, almonds, and walnuts. You will give this a quick toss to get them evenly mixed together. You will sprinkle this mixture over the fruit and sugar mixture in the greased baking pan. While you are doing this make sure you are coating the fruit mixture evenly. This will help for a few reasons, it will keep it from burning, and it will help it cook evenly through the fruit crumble.
Once you get all of your fruit crumble mixture into the baking pan, there is one last step, you will add the butter. You will need to cut pats of butter, and place on top of your rolled oat crust. This will give it flavor, and help with the browning process. After 15 minutes in the oven you will need to turn 180 degrees. This will help during the cooking process, to make sure it cooks evenly, and to ensure even browning on the crust. You will cook approximately 30-45 minutes or until done. Enjoy.
The yield for this dish is 8 servings.
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
http://www.chefshelleypogue.com
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Best Little Pasta Dish In Texas, Great Possibilities, And You Can Add Your Own Favorites To It
Basil pesto is one of the easiest types of sauces to make. There is very little preparation for this sauce and it packs a ton of flavor. There are several different types of basil that you can get at your local market. There is cinnamon basil, Thai basil, lemon basil and Genovese basil just to name a few. Genovese is considered to be one of the best to make pesto the old Italian way, and if it is available it is the one to use. Basil has many medicinal uses as well, but this recipe is for a great flavor addition on your favorite type of pasta. This dish should take less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
You will need to come up with a grocery list, so you can get all of the ingredients in hand, to make this great dish.
Items list for the Basil Pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 4 cloves garlic, crushed , 3/4 - 1 cup of pine nuts, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded, 3/4 Romano cheese shredded, 1 cup of good quality olive oil, pinch of salt and black pepper, T/T. You will also need one pound of your favorite pasta, penne pasta, farfalle pasta (bow tie) or fettuccine if you wish. 1/4 cup of heavy cream optional.
1. I start my water at this point to get ahead of the game, and I use a generous amount of salt in the water for the pasta. Depending on the pasta you use it would be best to follow the directions on the box. Just make sure you add salt the water, it is important.
2. Get out your food processor or blender at this point. Add your washed basil, garlic and pine nuts at this time and blend.
3. While blending you need to start incorporating the olive oil at this point, in a slow but steady stream.
4. Stop the food processor and add cheese, salt and pepper. Blend again and then taste for seasonings. Add more salt an pepper if it is needed. I remember while attending Culinary school, I was asked by one of my chef instructors: Did you forgot your salt extractor today? You can always add more of any ingredient, but you can not take it out!
5. Remove all of the pesto from the food processor, and hold until you are finished. I will put it into a container that I can keep in the refrigerator, so I will have it for a week or two. And that way you are not continually transferring to many bowls to clean.
6. I would add my pasta to the boiling water at this point and prep the rest of my ingredients at this point. If I were going to add a salad with this dish I would get if made at this point. It will not take long to wash your lettuce and get ingredients ready for dinner with your family.
7. I like to add artichokes, bacon and sun-dried tomatoes to this dish just to give it some flare. I also take some extra pine nuts, and roast them to add them to the finished dish as well. To roast your pine nuts you can do it in a over or over a stove top burner. You just have to watch them to make sure they do not get too much color. They will taste very bitter, or burned if this happens. You can add any ingredient to your pasta dish that you prefer. I am sure some Kalamata black olives would be tasty on this dish as well. This is what makes it your dish, every ones taste buds are a little different. If you are wanting to have a special dinner for loved ones or guests. You can offer them a wide variety of ingredients to add to there own dish in the center of the table. It will make them feel very special, and offer them the ingredients to make it their own dish.
8. The pasta is probably ready to be drained at this point. Do not wash the pasta, and return it to the same pan. I would start to add in some of the pesto starting with 2-3 tablespoons and turn the pasta with tongs if you have them to mix in the pesto. Continue until the desired amount of pesto is on the pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste and then serve.
9. If you are not concerned about the fat content: Then go from step 7 to step 9 In a separate bowl add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water to the the 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the, add the 2 Tbsp of pesto and mix. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. Put the pasta back into the same pan and pour the cream pesto mixture into the pot and turn with a wooden spoon of tongs. Make sure there is a good covering of the mixture on the desired pasta. You can also add more cheese at this point if you so desire.
10. Set the table and get ready to dig in. After I put the portion on to my plate I would then add my artichokes, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. Or you can put yours on a nice serving platter in the middle of the table with a piece of basil garnish and everyone can serve themselves.
I hope that you enjoy this dish. Making a basil pesto sauce is very easy and it taste great. I hope that you will find those ingredients that you really love and incorporate them into this dish to call it you own.
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
Italian pesto
You will need to come up with a grocery list, so you can get all of the ingredients in hand, to make this great dish.
Items list for the Basil Pesto: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 4 cloves garlic, crushed , 3/4 - 1 cup of pine nuts, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded, 3/4 Romano cheese shredded, 1 cup of good quality olive oil, pinch of salt and black pepper, T/T. You will also need one pound of your favorite pasta, penne pasta, farfalle pasta (bow tie) or fettuccine if you wish. 1/4 cup of heavy cream optional.
1. I start my water at this point to get ahead of the game, and I use a generous amount of salt in the water for the pasta. Depending on the pasta you use it would be best to follow the directions on the box. Just make sure you add salt the water, it is important.
2. Get out your food processor or blender at this point. Add your washed basil, garlic and pine nuts at this time and blend.
3. While blending you need to start incorporating the olive oil at this point, in a slow but steady stream.
4. Stop the food processor and add cheese, salt and pepper. Blend again and then taste for seasonings. Add more salt an pepper if it is needed. I remember while attending Culinary school, I was asked by one of my chef instructors: Did you forgot your salt extractor today? You can always add more of any ingredient, but you can not take it out!
5. Remove all of the pesto from the food processor, and hold until you are finished. I will put it into a container that I can keep in the refrigerator, so I will have it for a week or two. And that way you are not continually transferring to many bowls to clean.
6. I would add my pasta to the boiling water at this point and prep the rest of my ingredients at this point. If I were going to add a salad with this dish I would get if made at this point. It will not take long to wash your lettuce and get ingredients ready for dinner with your family.
7. I like to add artichokes, bacon and sun-dried tomatoes to this dish just to give it some flare. I also take some extra pine nuts, and roast them to add them to the finished dish as well. To roast your pine nuts you can do it in a over or over a stove top burner. You just have to watch them to make sure they do not get too much color. They will taste very bitter, or burned if this happens. You can add any ingredient to your pasta dish that you prefer. I am sure some Kalamata black olives would be tasty on this dish as well. This is what makes it your dish, every ones taste buds are a little different. If you are wanting to have a special dinner for loved ones or guests. You can offer them a wide variety of ingredients to add to there own dish in the center of the table. It will make them feel very special, and offer them the ingredients to make it their own dish.
8. The pasta is probably ready to be drained at this point. Do not wash the pasta, and return it to the same pan. I would start to add in some of the pesto starting with 2-3 tablespoons and turn the pasta with tongs if you have them to mix in the pesto. Continue until the desired amount of pesto is on the pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste and then serve.
9. If you are not concerned about the fat content: Then go from step 7 to step 9 In a separate bowl add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water to the the 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the, add the 2 Tbsp of pesto and mix. Drain the pasta, but do not rinse. Put the pasta back into the same pan and pour the cream pesto mixture into the pot and turn with a wooden spoon of tongs. Make sure there is a good covering of the mixture on the desired pasta. You can also add more cheese at this point if you so desire.
10. Set the table and get ready to dig in. After I put the portion on to my plate I would then add my artichokes, bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and pine nuts. Or you can put yours on a nice serving platter in the middle of the table with a piece of basil garnish and everyone can serve themselves.
I hope that you enjoy this dish. Making a basil pesto sauce is very easy and it taste great. I hope that you will find those ingredients that you really love and incorporate them into this dish to call it you own.
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
Italian pesto
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Chipotle Talipia Taco's, with a cilantro, mango chutney, A must try on this recipe, great dish
Ingredients list:
1 lbs of Fresh Tilapia, you can use frozen, if you can't find fresh.
1-2 bunches of fresh Cilantro3
1-2 fresh ripe Mangoes
1/2- 1 fresh Jalapeno
1/2 lime for juice
1 clove of minced garlic paste
1 small Red Onion or a sweet White Onion, the red just gives it a better eye appeal
1 can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce, check you Hispanic food section at you local grocery store.
3-4 Tbsp of dried Chipotle chili for a dry rub
1-2 T of Salt and Cracked Pepper for dry rub
1/2-1 tsp of garlic powder for dry rub
1/4-1/2 Cup of Canola oil
1/4 Cup of Mayo
2 Cans of Black Beans, with added fresh garlic about 1-2 cloves ,with salt to taste, and then cooked together for about 10-15 minutes
3-4 Cups of prepared Aborio rice, I like to add Fresh Corn, and Red Bells with some fresh Cilantro and salt.
1 Package of Whole Wheat tortillas, or Flour if you prefer
1 package of Coleslaw mix, it has shredded red cabbage, green cabbage and carrots
Ready the Tilapia for the Dry Rub: First you will make sure the fish is fresh and that it is clear of all bones. You will then make sure the fish is dry of all moisture. Then add the fish to the oil, and remove to a sheet pan. You will take all of the dried spices, and salt and pepper, and mix. You will then get a pan, add your Tilapia and apply a generous coating of the dry rub to your Tilapia. Set the fish aside and let it hang out while you prepare your chutney. You can refrigerate if you think it will take you very long to prepare you chutney, and Chipotle aioli.
Your Mango Chutney: You will remove the skin from your Mango, cut it and remove the pith. You will fine chop the red onion, and mince the garlic. You will also very finely chop the Jalapeno. You can add as much or little of the Jalapeno for desired taste. You will be adding a Chipotle Aioli as the sauce for the taco. It will have some heat to it, so if you want to omit the Jalapeno altogether the taco's will be fine without it.
Chipotle Aioli: If your can of Chipoltle in the Adobo sauce, is a puree you will be a step ahead. If your Chipotle peppers are whole in the can, and in the sauce you will need to puree at this time. No big deal takes 2-3 minutes. After you have the puree you can add half of it to the mayo, and garlic powder, or all of the Chipotle puree at this time. You can add as much or little it just depends on the amount of heat you prefer to you taco's. You just need to make sure you are tasting as you are adding your puree to the mayo to get the desired heat for your palate. A little of this puree goes a long way, and it has a really great flavor. Mix well, and add minced garlic paste and refrigerate.
Preparing the Tilapia: In a med saute pan you will heat over medium to low high heat, add some canola oil. Add the dry rub coated Tilapia and saute quickly, and turn. Do not over cook, it will only take about 2-3 minutes on each side. Take the Tilapia out of the saute pan and let it rest for about 2-3 minutes and start to prepare you plates for food service.
Plating your Tilapia Taco's: Add your serving of rice and beans to the plate. Add 2 tortillas, and add your Chipotle Aioli on the open faces. You can add a little, or a generous portion, it is your preference. You will then add some of the coleslaw mixture on each of the tortillas. Then add the Tilapia, and then the Mango chutney. If you like you can also add some of the black beans as well. You can also add extra cilantro for garnish. I hope that you enjoy these Tilapia taco's they have always been a real hit. Enjoy!
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
fish
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Chef Shell P's Pasta Carbonara, A little taste of Italy, very simple for you to prepare at your home
Article ID: 942018
Article Submitted: January 22, 2008
Category: Food and Drink :: Pasta Dishes
Article Word Count: 533
If you are looking for a classic Italian dish then this is the one for you. It is fairly easy for anyone to cook if you just follow the directions. To make it the traditional way you will need to use prosciutto or pancetta which is Italian bacon. I prefer to use good American bacon most of the time just because I like the flavor of our pork products. However if it is going to be the classic Italian dish then the other type of pork fat needs to be used.
Ingredients list: 1 lb of bacon if you are going to prepare the US version, 1/4- 1/2 lb of pancetta or prosciutto, they both have a very strong flavor so use sparingly depending on your tastes. 1 lb of linguine, 2-3 eggs, 1/4-1/3 cup of Italian parsley fresh if available, a really good parmesan cheese grated, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
1. Cut your pork products into lard-on strips, or 1/4" strips and then saute/render your pork product that you desire in you dish. You want to get the pieces crisp but not too done. Remove the cooked pork with a slotted spoon and pat dry and hold for later.
2. You will get your water going for your pasta. Follow the instructions on the box for your pasta. Just remember to salt your water. Stir in the pasta and make sure it is fully covered with the water. Cook until done but not overcooked. You will still want some bite to the pasta or al dente- firm to the bite. You can bite into the pasta, look at the center and you will see whether it is done or not by noticing the center. If it is not the same color all the way through then it is still not done. Practice makes perfect on this step. But you will definitely now if it is overcooked, it will be mushy and will fall apart on you.
3. You will first want to have a separate pot of simmering or close to boiling water. You will want to add the eggs to this water only for about 20-30 seconds to kill any bacteria such as salmonella. Remove from the water and rinse and then immediately break into bowl. Beat the eggs very well or thoroughly in a mixing bowl that you can serve this dish in.
4. When the pasta is fully cooked, drain it and try to remove all excess water. Do not rinse!
5. Put the drained pasta into the serving dish with the eggs and toss the pasta into the egg mixture. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg mixture. Just make sure you stir well, but be careful not to cut your pasta.
6. Add your pork products, parsley and cheese at this point and give it another toss. Plate it up, pour yourself and guest some wine, and break bread together.
This is a very classical Italian dish as I stated before. Just take precautions when preparing the egg mixture. And I hope that you enjoy this dish, if you like you can use bacon or sausage and eat for a breakfast meal served with danish or some type of bread. Ciao!
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
pasta
Article Submitted: January 22, 2008
Category: Food and Drink :: Pasta Dishes
Article Word Count: 533
If you are looking for a classic Italian dish then this is the one for you. It is fairly easy for anyone to cook if you just follow the directions. To make it the traditional way you will need to use prosciutto or pancetta which is Italian bacon. I prefer to use good American bacon most of the time just because I like the flavor of our pork products. However if it is going to be the classic Italian dish then the other type of pork fat needs to be used.
Ingredients list: 1 lb of bacon if you are going to prepare the US version, 1/4- 1/2 lb of pancetta or prosciutto, they both have a very strong flavor so use sparingly depending on your tastes. 1 lb of linguine, 2-3 eggs, 1/4-1/3 cup of Italian parsley fresh if available, a really good parmesan cheese grated, salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
1. Cut your pork products into lard-on strips, or 1/4" strips and then saute/render your pork product that you desire in you dish. You want to get the pieces crisp but not too done. Remove the cooked pork with a slotted spoon and pat dry and hold for later.
2. You will get your water going for your pasta. Follow the instructions on the box for your pasta. Just remember to salt your water. Stir in the pasta and make sure it is fully covered with the water. Cook until done but not overcooked. You will still want some bite to the pasta or al dente- firm to the bite. You can bite into the pasta, look at the center and you will see whether it is done or not by noticing the center. If it is not the same color all the way through then it is still not done. Practice makes perfect on this step. But you will definitely now if it is overcooked, it will be mushy and will fall apart on you.
3. You will first want to have a separate pot of simmering or close to boiling water. You will want to add the eggs to this water only for about 20-30 seconds to kill any bacteria such as salmonella. Remove from the water and rinse and then immediately break into bowl. Beat the eggs very well or thoroughly in a mixing bowl that you can serve this dish in.
4. When the pasta is fully cooked, drain it and try to remove all excess water. Do not rinse!
5. Put the drained pasta into the serving dish with the eggs and toss the pasta into the egg mixture. The heat from the pasta will cook the egg mixture. Just make sure you stir well, but be careful not to cut your pasta.
6. Add your pork products, parsley and cheese at this point and give it another toss. Plate it up, pour yourself and guest some wine, and break bread together.
This is a very classical Italian dish as I stated before. Just take precautions when preparing the egg mixture. And I hope that you enjoy this dish, if you like you can use bacon or sausage and eat for a breakfast meal served with danish or some type of bread. Ciao!
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
pasta
Pasta Puttanesca, Lady of the night pasta, Chef Shelley Pogue's version, great dish as a main course
This is a great dish, and it has many great and different flavors. It was originally made for the working women in Italy. It was supposedly very easy to make if you were in a time crunch, and the ingredients were not expensive. The women did not have much time to eat and not very much money to spend on food. I assume that the carb values also came in handy. This sauce should take maybe 20-30 minutes, so if you want a fast and easy meal this is one to try. It is not for the faint pallet. You must like bold flavors in order to want to try this dish.
Ingredients list: 1 pound of dried pasta, 2 cans of Italian tomatoes, 1/4 cup of a good olive oil, 1 tsp of oregano preferably fresh, 2-4 garlic cloves minced, 1/2 cup of black olives, Nicoise, 1/4 c of capers, 4-6 anchovy fillets that have been washed and chopped,1/2 cup of Italian parsley for garnish, salt and pepper to taste, be careful on the salt levels you will get plenty from the capers, anchovies and olives.
1. Boil your pasta according to the instructions on the box. If you know how to make fresh pasta then of course that would be the best choice. There are some stores that have a good fresh pasta source so try them out if you like.
2. while your pasta is on the stove cooking you will start preparation on the Lady of the night sauce or Puttanesca sauce. Open the canned tomatoes and drain well, and then give them a rough chop. This is to be a rustic sauce and dish.
3. Add olive oil to the pan over med to low heat and add your tomatoes. Raise the heat to a nice simmer or med-high to a high heat. Just be careful not to burn the tomatoes. You will then add garlic, oregano,, olives, anchovies, capers. Add one at a time and sir until you get them all incorporated into the sauce. Reduce the heat and let simmer and reduce the contents of the sauce by half or until it is at the desired thickness. ***Reduce by half= if you have 1 cup of liquid over heat if you reduce it over the heat you are taking the contents down to 1/2 a cup.
4. Drain your pasta, but do not rinse. Add to your serving dish or bowl and pour sauce over it and garnish with the parsley.
This is a great dish! I like to eat this dish with a good Merlot and some nice garlic bread. It is a very tasty and flavorful dish. It will open your taste buds like never before. This is an easy dish to prepare, and you should probably look up some history on the dish to
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chef_Shelley_R._Pogue
pasta
Ingredients list: 1 pound of dried pasta, 2 cans of Italian tomatoes, 1/4 cup of a good olive oil, 1 tsp of oregano preferably fresh, 2-4 garlic cloves minced, 1/2 cup of black olives, Nicoise, 1/4 c of capers, 4-6 anchovy fillets that have been washed and chopped,1/2 cup of Italian parsley for garnish, salt and pepper to taste, be careful on the salt levels you will get plenty from the capers, anchovies and olives.
1. Boil your pasta according to the instructions on the box. If you know how to make fresh pasta then of course that would be the best choice. There are some stores that have a good fresh pasta source so try them out if you like.
2. while your pasta is on the stove cooking you will start preparation on the Lady of the night sauce or Puttanesca sauce. Open the canned tomatoes and drain well, and then give them a rough chop. This is to be a rustic sauce and dish.
3. Add olive oil to the pan over med to low heat and add your tomatoes. Raise the heat to a nice simmer or med-high to a high heat. Just be careful not to burn the tomatoes. You will then add garlic, oregano,, olives, anchovies, capers. Add one at a time and sir until you get them all incorporated into the sauce. Reduce the heat and let simmer and reduce the contents of the sauce by half or until it is at the desired thickness. ***Reduce by half= if you have 1 cup of liquid over heat if you reduce it over the heat you are taking the contents down to 1/2 a cup.
4. Drain your pasta, but do not rinse. Add to your serving dish or bowl and pour sauce over it and garnish with the parsley.
This is a great dish! I like to eat this dish with a good Merlot and some nice garlic bread. It is a very tasty and flavorful dish. It will open your taste buds like never before. This is an easy dish to prepare, and you should probably look up some history on the dish to
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chef_Shelley_R._Pogue
pasta
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Mushroom Soup by Chef Shelley R. Pogue
Ingredients you will need:
2 Quarts chicken stock or mushroom stock - Directions on how to make mushroom stock listed below.
2 cups of fresh mushrooms slice
2-3 large carrots - small dice
2-3 stalks celery - small dice
1 med-large onion - small dice
1 fresh thyme sprig
1-2 bay leaves - depending on size two if they are really small, or one large one
1 tablespoon minced garlic salt & pepper to
Wipe mushrooms with a clean towel to remove all dirt and then slice the mushrooms. You will need to peel and slice on a bias or use a small dice 1/4" x 1/4" for the carrots, celery, onion, thyme sprig and 1-2 bay leaves. The small dice will look better if you decide not to puree your soup. You will then add all ingredients to 2 quarts of chicken stock and cook on medium heat until done/tender.
**If you would like to make a mushroom stock, use a 1 gallon of water and cook 6 cups of mushrooms with 1 Tbsp. of minced garlic, 1 sprig of fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves and cook until reduced by half.
Then you will add the sliced vegetables/ingredients after you have made the stock. And you will cook them on medium heat until they are done/tender which will be approx. 30 minutes.
Remove the thyme and bay leaf before you puree or serve your soup, it was added just for the flavor component it adds during cooking - it will not taste well.
Then adjust seasonings salt and pepper to taste. I personally like to puree the soup and run through a strainer; however it taste well both ways.Ingredients you will need:
http://chefshelleypogue.com
soup
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
Ingredients :
1.5 lbs of Red Peppers
l lb Fresh Tomatoes
1 large Onion
4 cloves Garlic
1 tablespoon Tomato paste
1 1/2 quarts Chicken stock
1 teaspoon Fresh Basil
1 pinch of thyme and 1 pinch of oregano
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
Salt and Pepper T.T. = ( to taste )
**You may also add some sugar and heavy cream if you prefer it to be a little sweeter in taste.**
Cut the tomatoes in half, and do the same with the peppers, cut the onion into quarters, and remove skin from garlic cloves and brush all with olive oil. Place all in a large roasting pan with metal grates for good air circulation and bake with the flesh side down. Roast in a 200-250 degree oven for about 20- 30 minutes, if you are using larger vegetables it may take longer than the suggested time. Cook them until the tomato and pepper skins start to wilt and brown. If the garlic and onion start to get too brown remove them and let the tomato and pepper continue to roast. Remove from roasting pan, and put the vegetables into a bowl, cover with saran wrap and allow to rest for about 10-15 minutes. The steam from the roasted veggies will make them easier to peel.You will want to peel and puree your roasted veggie mix at this time. An immersion blender works the best but a stand alone blender will work also. Puree the mixture well to end up with a better finished product.In a soup pot you will add chicken stock, herbs, your pureed vegetables, and cook at a simmer for about 30-45 minutes to allow all of the flavors to bloom. Before you are ready to serve add the grated Parmesan cheese and stir it to a smooth consistency. If you have fresh herbs you may add them for garnish when you place the soup into your serving bowls. You may serve hot or cold. If you wish to serve cold chill for several hours in the fridge or create an ice bath to set your hot soup into to chill it down. You will need to adjust the seasonings reguardless of how you serve them right before you serve yourself and or guest.
You may also add heavy cream and a pinch of sugar for extra flavor if you don't mind the calories.
This is a great recipe and it is fairly easy to make. If you do not feel like roasting your vegetables you can use canned. It will not be as delicious, but it will work in a pinch/time crunch.
soup
Hearty stew fo that cold winter night or Sunday afternoon
What can be said about stew? I remember as a little girl that familiar smell of being in my Grandma's kitchen. I remember the fascination of watching her prepare a meal that did not require much preparation, but it had many different variations of flavor. I could not seem to get enough of it before you could hear the serving spoon clanging on the bottom of an empty pan. My Grandma Gracie is no longer with us, and how I long for her cooking. I decided to go to culinary school to try and become half the cook that she was. I did not get her recipes on paper, so I have to try and create from memory, and mine will be a little more health conscience.
Stews are a very unique dish for several reasons. You can add the staple ingredients such as onions, potatoes and carrots. There is so much freedom to this dish that you can add different herbs, and other vegetables that will make it your own. I use salt, pepper and flour in my stew to dredge the stew meat, and then I sear the stew meat before I start braising which is a low and slow cooking method. This will help thicken the stew and also give it flavor. I will give you a very detailed set of cooking instructions. This will be an easy to follow recipe without much prep and cooking time in the kitchen. The afternoon will be yours to do with what you wish and dinner will be served on time, and will be a meal that everyone will enjoy.
This recipe has a little different twist to it. I have added cumin seed to this stew. I am sure you are probably wondering why? I love the flavor of cumin, and it has the flavor stamp of Mexican, or as I like to say Texican. I am of course from Texas and I love TEx-Mex food. I thought that I would take my stew recipe and add some new zap to it. The cumin can be omitted if you do not care for the flavor of it, as it is very distinct.
Ingredients list:
3-4 pounds of stew meat cut into bite size cubes ,
1 1/2 c of all purpose flour ,
1 Tbsp. of salt ,
1/2 - 1 tsp of black pepper or to your taste ,
1/4 c of canola oil ,
4-6 russet potatoes depending on size you want about 2-3 cups of large diced potatoes, and the skin can be left on if you desire. It will be more rustic. ,
3 carrots cut thick slices, un-peeled but washed if you like ,
1 large sweet yellow onion diced ,
1 small can of sweet corn drained ,
2-3 cloves of garlic minced ,
1 cup of red wine your choice I think a good merlot is best, and would be better served with the dish :)
1 bay leaf ,
2 1/2 pints of beef stock or beef bouillion and water mixture ,
1-2 tsp of cumin seed, or you can use ground, but use less about 1/2-1 tsp ,
1 tsp. of chopped cilantro for garnish ,
Serves 6 - 8
Lets make Stew:
1. Heat your large braising pan or stew pot on med to med high heat.
2. Take your stew meat and season with salt and pepper and dredge/coat it in the flour.
3. If your pan is hot add the oil, and heat the oil for about 20-30 seconds and then add your stew meat and get a good browning on it.
4. Take your wine and add it at this point but do it off of the fire so it will not blaze up on you.
5. Reduce the wine mixture by 1/2 or 3/4 and then add your onions and garlic until they are translucent.
6. Add your carrots, potatoes, beef stock, cumin seed, sweet corn, and bay leaf at this time.
7. Put the lid on your pot and turn down to a simmer. You will simmer for about 1-2 hours or until your carrots are done. When the carrots are done the dish will be fully cooked.
8. When done you can add the cilantro as a garnish if you like to give it the extra added flavor from Texas.
9. Do not forget to remove the bay leaf.
This meal is excellent served with jalepeno cornbread, or a sweet cornbread. I hope that you enjoy this Sunday afternoon stew, or have it on a cold winter night, as I have, and with many friends. It is a handy dish to complete when you would like to spend more time out of the kitchen.
Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and research and development chef for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Pogue
cumin seed
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