May 1st, 2011
Chilly and rainy, don’t you think? I had seen this recipe in a Cooking Light Magazine but I changed it all around. Different chiles and chicken broth used instead of water. It is also “wet” instead of the traditional dryer version.
A Paella is a Spanish dish from the city of Valencia. It is served as a main course. There are 3 types: The Valencia Paella, the seafood paella and the mixed paella. But, there are many other variations, as well. The key ingredient? Olive oil and saffron.
I hope you like this one; perfect for tonight’s weather.
“Wet” Paella with Green Chiles, Corn and Clams
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can of whole green chiles, chopped (usually 2 or 3 per can)
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon, black pepper, divided
3/4 cup short-grain brown rice.
1/2 teaspoon, saffron threads, crushed
2 1/2 cups low sodium broth (If you want the regular, well you know what to do.)
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups corn (fresh, frozen or canned)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 lbs. littleneck clams
A sprinkle of parsley for garnish.
Lemons wedges on the side
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, green chiles, 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional), and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Saute for around 3 minutes.
Add rice and saffron. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then, add two cups of the chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover.
Bake at 450 degrees for 50 minutes or until rice is done.
Stir in the corn and tomatoes and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Then, nestle the clams into the rice mixture.
Keep baking at that same 450 degrees for another 12 minutes or until the shells open. Then, take the ovenproof skillet out of the oven and discard any unopened clams.
Place skillet on top of the stove. Cook without stirring on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or so, covered.
You can top it with parsley and serve it with a wedge of lemon.
It will serve 4.
Please note that this dish is gluten free.
As usual, the best way is to make it your own, just like I did. This dish hit the spot tonight.
April 16th, 2011
I don’t know what happened to our spring weather. It seems, no sooner do I put my fleece in the closet, I have to take it out again. Damp, chilly, soon to be a rainy day. I tried this recipe, changed it and added a few things. You know, made it my own. Hope you like it.
Pork ‘N Cabbage Casserole
6 slices bacon
6 country-style pork ribs
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bag of coleslaw mix (14 or 16 ounce bag)
1 large onion
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
1 apple, chopped (I chose a Gala because I am hooked on those apples)
1 cup julienne carrots (easier from a 10-oz bag than doing it yourself)
3/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons brown sugar (I used Splenda blend)
1/4 to 1/3 cup of Apple Cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsps. caraway seed
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep 13 x 9 baking dish.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet, place on paper towels and then crumble and place in a small bowl. Wait, don’t throw the grease out.
Sprinkle the ribs liberally with pepper. You do not need salt; there is enough in the bacon.
Then, in the bacon grease, sear them over medium high heat 3 to 4 minutes. You might need to do them in 2 batches. I know, bacon grease, is not good but everything in moderation right? You would not eat this every day. So splurge a little.
Cook the ribs on the skillet turning them just once. Take out and put it the baking dish. Continue with the next batch, if you need to.
Don’t throw the drippings out, you still need them.
In that same skillet, cook coleslaw mix and onion over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until softened and wilted. Remove from heat.
Add to the cabbage mixture, bacon, sauerkraut, apple, carrots, cider, brown sugar, vinegar, and caraway seeds. Mix well and adjust seasonings. You might want more vinegar, brown sugar or caraway seeds. If you do, then you know what to do.
Then, spoon that mixture on top of ribs.
Cover, bake for 45 minutes. I baked mine about 1 hour, though.
I did not serve anything else with this dish. If I had served it for guests I would have added a salad or a green vegetable but it was substantial and enough for my family.
Make sure you spoon some of the juices on top. They are so good; a little tangy.
Note: This recipe is gluten free. Make sure you read the sauerkraut and bacon labels.
Enjoy!!! Talk to you later…..
April 6th, 2011
The day I made this recipe was a chilly evening. Easy and ready in about 45 minutes to an hour.
A Chicken Divan was made originally with a very rich Mornay Sauce. Some people use canned cream of mushroom soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, and cheese. Calories? You bet!!
This dish was first featured at the Divan Parisien Restaurant in New York City. Guess what? I have my own version, which is a combination of recipes and the chicken is chopped.
Chopped Chicken Divan Casserole
1 package of broccoli florets, steamed in the microwave
4 boneless chicken breasts, chopped in bite size pieces
White Sauce or Mornay Sauce
A White Sauce is also a Bechamel Sauce. It becomes a Mornay Sauce because of the addition of cheese.
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup of half and half
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb. Gruyere cheese (1/4 lb. Gruyere Cheese and 1/4 lb. Parmesan, if you want to), grated
1/4 cup Sherry
Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour and half and half until thickened. Add the remaining ingredients until everything thickens.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Placed the already microwaved broccoli florets in a buttered baking dish.
Top with chicken. Then top with the already made Mornay Sauce. Sprinkle with pepper and even some Paprika, if you would like to give it more color.
Place in the already pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes but it could take one hour. You want it just browned.
This casserole can be served with rice but I chose to serve it with plantains. In Puerto Rico they are called Aranitas or Spiders. I don’t know what I would call mine.
2 green plantains
oil for frying
The easiest way to peel green plantains is to cut the ends off and place them one by one in the microwave for 1 minute. Give it a cut lenthwise just enough to be able to peel the skin off.
Heat oil for frying.
Grate the plantains and form a nest in your hand. Fry until they are a rich golden color. Turn over and fry for a couple of more minutes. Take out and put on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Mine came out more like flattened ball so you decide if you want that or a nest. Once you get the hang of it, you will see why plantains are a comfort food in many countries. Just like potatoes.
P.S. I used a gluten free flour in my recipe, so this one is gluten free.
Make it your own….and enjoy…
March 24th, 2011
Last night the weather was stormy, rainy and chilly. There is something about comfort foods. Some of them stick to your ribs more than others. This recipe is so easy and in the oven in no time.
Sausage Cheese Grits Casserole
1 cup Old Fashioned Grits
1-1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 butter or margarine
1 lb. sausage, browned (I used Jimmy Dean’s with sage)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
3 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
2 tsps. Tabasco (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 3-quart baking dish.
In a frying pan, cook the sausage breaking it down into small pieces, until it browns.
In a 3-quart saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly add grits, stirring constantly for about 4 minutes. Reduce heat, cover pan, and continue cooking for about 15 minutes, or so. Remove from heat.
Add 1 cup of cheese and butter or margarine; stir until smooth and well blended.
Add sausage, eggs, milk and Tabasco. Mix well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until it is golden brown.
Add your favorite salad or veggie and you have a meal!!
Serves 6.
Note: Even though the Tabasco is optional, it does give it a nice kick. I thought I would add next time a few chopped jalapenos and elevate it to a different heat index. I don’t know, making it my own, I guess.
And, guess what? This recipe is gluten free.
March 19th, 2011
The other day someone asked me on Facebook if I cooked. I guess they see that I am reviewing restaurants; so the cook is off again. Well, I do love to cook; experiment with new recipes. I find it rewarding. Too many times, too rewarding, and then back on the diet I go.
I bought the cookbook that is fairly new called Tastes of the Season. The recipes are favorites from the Delray GreenMarket. You can get the book by on-line at www.delraycra.org. I am always buying cookbooks and I read them like novels.
The Curry Mango Shrimp recipe I made it my own by changing it a bit. It was delicious, though. Hope you try it and like it.
I love a good mango and I was lucky to get a ripe one at the store.
Curry Mango Shrimp With Coconut Basmati Rice
1 cup diced mango
juice of enough limes to make about 6 tablespoons
3/4 cup of orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons grated ginger (More? Go ahead.)
1 teaspoon curry powder (if you think you want more, then you know what to do)
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (you may use any size)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
1/4 tsp. salt (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
6 tablespoons green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
In a small bowl, make the marinade by mixing together the mango, lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, ginger and curry powder.
In a medium bowl, add the cleaned shrimp and half the mango marinade, cover and let it stand for about 20 minutes or so.
In the meantime, make the Coconut Basmati Rice by combining chicken broth, coconut milk, salt and rice in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in green onion and cilantro. Keep warm.
Heat large frying pan to a medium to high heat. Then add the tablespoon of butter, melt. Add the shrimp and mango mixture and cook for about 5 minutes or longer until the shrimp are nice and pink.
Then add the rest of the mango marinade. Heat and serve over the rice.
I wanted to add more colore and decided on brussel sprouts. The little ones that you can heat in the bag. A little butter; very sweet.
This recipe serves 4. Easily doubled.
This recipe is gluten free.
Talk to you later…enjoy…
P.S. Remember that AboutMyBeaches is on Facebook.
March 13th, 2011
Comfort food can be defined as the one that brings you some sort of sense of well-being; simple and familiar dishes, some of them bring nostalgic thoughts to my mind. Its definition first appeared in the dictionary in 1977. It’s funny how there has been a resurgence in restaurants serving these types of foods. Homecooking it’s the best, admit it. Really.
But if you ask a kid what would be his comfort food , the answer might be more like fast food, ice cream, potato chips or pizza. Hey, I love pizza too. But, what I mean is the foods that make you take a breath and relax.
One of such recipes, if I may call mine that, is the Shepherd’s Pie. In earlier recipe books the pie dish was lined with mashed potatoes on the bottom, as well as the top. That sounds interesting, but mine is just the top.
My recipe of a Shepherd’s Pie changes all the time. I add to the meat pretty much anything I have at hand in the kitchen. Served with a salad or a vegetable is so easy, and leftovers are delicious, as well. So here is my version of this comfort food.
Shepherd’s Pie
For the mashed potatoes you will need:
3 or 4 baking potatoes
8 ounce container of sour cream
1 or 2 large containers of low salt chicken broth (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
About 1/4 cup of milk
salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
2 lbs. ground sirloin
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
A sprinkle of garlic powder, optional
1 small can of tomato sauce
2 small boxes of raisins (1.5 ounce boxes)
1 grated carrot (or 2, if you want)
3/4 chopped Spanish Olives (or more, if you want)
1 tsp. Tabasco (Want more kick? Then, you know what to do.)
1/2 cup of peas (they were in the refrigerator that day, so it is optional, but a good addition)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large pot put the chicken broth to boil for the potatoes. I like broth because it gives them a better flavor. I do not peel my potatoes and I also cut them before placing them in the pot. Faster cooking, you know.
Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and put them in a large container so that you can mash them. I then add butter, mash, add sour cream, keep mashing, add salt and pepper to taste. Put aside.
In a large frying pan just put a tablespoon or so of olive oil and add the onions. Cook them for a few minutes and then add the ground sirloin breaking it up as it cooks.
Once the meat has a good cooking rhythm then add the rest, except the peas. Adjust your seasonings.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish put all the meat filling in, sprinkle the peas on top.
Then, spread the mashed potatoes.
Place in the oven.
Bake in the oven until the mashed potatoes have a nice crust. Just like in the picture.
A salad? That’s what I had. Perfect for cold and rainy nights.
Enjoy it and most of all, make it your own.
P.S. This recipe is gluten free.
Talk to you later….
March 6th, 2011
The other day I was talking to my mother in law and the conversation turned to recipes. She is an excellent cook, by the way. She told me that she makes the Baked Chiles Rellenos all the time. The easiest thing to make. She also said that she had given me the recipe. Immediately, I thought that would be great for dinner. Add a salad and voila!!
When she told me that she buys the 7 oz. can of whole green chiles I thought that I had never seen them in the grocery store. She lives in California, so maybe that’s why she could get them canned.
Off to Giant to see if they had them here in Rehoboth Beach. Too late to go to a Latin store in town. I did not see them. I asked and they me showed the cans. Not only did I buy one, but I bought two.
As I was going through the recipe, I thought the peppers looked like jalapenos. Well, surprise, surprise; they were. Now what? I continued with the recipe, all the time wondering how spicy it was going to be.
Both chile peppers and jalapenos come from the same family, the Capsicum Annuum, which originated in Mexico. I probably needed to roast fresh poblanos, which are milder or see if I can get them canned somewhere in town.
Since I had read that at times jalapenos are substituted for poblanos, I hoped these ones were not going to be too hot. I had used two cans. I also decided not to say anything. As I was serving them, my only comment was that they could be a little spicy.
Baked Chiles Rellenos
6 eggs
1 tablespoon flour (I used gluten free flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 7 ouce can green chiles (I used 2 cans of jalapenos)
1/2 mild jack cheese. (shredded or sliced)
Pre heat oven to 325 degrees.
Separate eggs and beat whites until stiff.
Mix flour, salt and pepper with egg yolks; then fold in the beaten egg whites and pour 1/2 of the mixture into a greased 2″ x 7″ by 13″ baking dish.
Wash chiles (jalapenos?) and remove seeds and cut lengthwise. Spread them over batter.
Cover with cheese.
Pour rest of the batter over cheese.
Baked for about 25 minutes, cut, serve, add a salad and a pitcher of something….
Serves 4.
Note: They were quiet after the first bite. A little spicy? Don’t you think? The other person answers; yes, but I like spicy. Now, my turn. Pretty spicy but good. Another glass of ice tea, please? Kidding aside, no, actually, that’s what happened; they were not bad at all. We ate them all. I will be looking for the poblanos, though.
See you…
March 2nd, 2011
Risotto is usually served as a primo, or first course. I like it as a main course; yes, it is pretty filling. Usually, I like to cook it when I have had enough chicken, beef or seafood. Served with a green salad, it does make a nice meal. Add your favorite wine; and then it is not just a nice meal, but the perfect meal.
This Italian dish of rice cook in broth in a creamy consistency is also perfect on chilly nights. That is has a lot of carbs? Well, that’s true; still good, though.
Arborio is the rice used for risottos. It is a short gran rice, named after the town of Arborio. The round grains are firm, creamy, and chewy. Also, this rice is used in rice pudding.
The other night I fixed a very simple risotto with a little Asiago cheese, green onions and peas. I know, it is sort of a pain to stir the rice until the broth evaporates, but it is worth it.
A Simple Risotto
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup green onions
3 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
1 cup small peas
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated very thin
Saute onion and butter on medium heat for a few minutes; I did 5 minutes.
Add rice and also stir for a minutes, as well.
Stir in 1 cup of broth and keep on stirring until the broth is absorbed. If the medium heat is too high then lower it a bit. You want the rice to keep absorbing the broth; be patience. Cooking cannot be rushed.
Gradually, keep adding the rest of the broth, 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time. I did it 1/2 cup at a time. You want the broth completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup.
Taste it and if you feel it needs more broth, well you know what to do. Then add 1/2 cup of the Asiago cheese and stir. You can add more, if you want to.
Then the peas should be added. Stir it all together.
Serve and garnish with more Asiago cheese. Add a salad and you will, definitely, have a meal.
Note: Serves 4. By the way, this recipe is gluten free.
Enjoy and make it your own….talk to you later….
 
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