Hey ChefWide!! Little Help Plz....

[jenscats5]

I had seen your post about taking advantage of the season by making & freezing sauces, etc over on the Food board..... I asked for some recipes, etc....can you hook me up???

So far this year I made some salsa, as you saw...14 cubes of basil pesto are now in the freezer, 6 or so bags of ratatouille, and I'm going to put up (can in jars) apple pie filling (plain & maybe apple/cranberry)

Any ideas? Maybe for a chutney? Spicy stuff?? Thanks!!

I can post up my email if you'd prefer....

 

[jenscats5]

^^ for Cheffie....

 

[superqt4u2nv]

up I would love to see his suggestions too!

 

[jenscats5]

^^

 

[ChefWide]

Yeah! I am totally into this! I have mountains of salsa and pestos and chutneys and sambals and blatjangs and chowchows and 'pickles' etc.. I will try and get to typing some up tonight if time permits.

Please bear with me a bit: I have my first meeting with #2 son's class tonight.. nervous... and we just closed on the new house on friday and there is a mountain of crap to do... way more than I thought possible.

BUT! this is my favorite thing, so pester me about it and we will get something going: maybe one recipe a day? Kind of like rolling thunder recipe thread... we'll see.

 

[velvett]

Cheffy!

Women begging for your attention and you're not prepared!

THE HORROR!

 

[jenscats5]

Yeah! I am totally into this! I have mountains of salsa and pestos and chutneys and sambals and blatjangs and chowchows and 'pickles' etc.. I will try and get to typing some up tonight if time permits.

Please bear with me a bit: I have my first meeting with #2 son's class tonight.. nervous... and we just closed on the new house on friday and there is a mountain of crap to do... way more than I thought possible.

BUT! this is my favorite thing, so pester me about it and we will get something going: maybe one recipe a day? Kind of like rolling thunder recipe thread... we'll see.

Hey, that would be great!! Whatever you can manage.....

I managed to get 5 dozen pint canning jars for $17.50....Yay!! so I'm looking for something to can.....

Maybe I'll do some mango salsa.....

Can't wait to see what you come up with....

 

[ChefWide]

Cheffy!

Women begging for your attention and you're not prepared!

THE HORROR!

....the HORROR....

If I could lick the chutney off those fingers I would already be in the kitchen.

 

[ChefWide]

Here goes nada:

Super easy to start.

Mango Tomatillo Salsa
Part one
1 lb of tomatillos, diced... you can roast them, but I like them fresh for this.
1/2 cup Pineaple juice
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs minced chili (I like seranos, but haustecos work well too)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbs toasted cumin seeds
4 limes, just the juice

Part two
4 fat firm mangoes, ripe is good but not as ripe as you would for desert, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 poblano peper, diced
sea salt

***********************
This is easy, as its a 'fresh' salsa: just mix all the ingredients and refridgerate for 24 hours. The real love is how much you want to 'mosh' it up. My sister likes to take part one and purree them smooth, then add to part two and wait overnight. I like the textures and the acid bite of the tomatillo to land heavier, so I dont purree. Try both ways.

 

[BileStew]

What, no MSG?

Blasted....


















Looks good. I'll send the recipe to my Mom and have her make it...heh

 

[velvett]

Cheffy, finger licker (ing good)

I have half a dozen lobster tails - how would you sugfgest cooking these babies.

 

[jenscats5]

Cheffy, finger licker (ing good)

I have half a dozen lobster tails - how would you sugfgest cooking these babies.

Whatever he tells you, Part Two is to take Amtrak south & get off at Wilmington station with said lobster tails...... I'll pick you up......

 

[velvett]

Whatever he tells you, Part Two is to take Amtrak south & get off at Wilmington station with said lobster tails...... I'll pick you up......

have tails (and wine) will travel....

 

[ChefWide]

Cranberry-Apricot Mustard


1 1/2 cups black mustard seeds

Part one
1/4 cup dry mustard (Colemans works, but experiment with green and brown types too)
1 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup Orange juice
juice from two lemons
1 tbs Mass. Maple syrup

Part two
1/2 cup dry apricots VERY small dice (brunoise size, foodie types)
1/2 cup dry cranberries
2 tbs toasted, crushed corriandre seeds
2 tbs minced garlic, sweat in a little neutral oil, corn oil is good, set asside

**********************************

grind the mustard seeds in a coffee grinder or spice mill (yes, you need one, believe me) until you get sand consistency. Add the ground seeds and the rest of part one to a bowl. Let sit for at least three hours, stir it up and add part two. Let this one sit overnight in the fridge, it will last for three weeks in there... but make a bunch and jar it in little half jars ("pingers").

 

[ChefWide]

Hmm... lobster.. just the tails? frozen? (eGADSS!!! eastender shame!)

Are they local?

 

[velvett]

Hmm... lobster.. just the tails? frozen? (eGADSS!!! eastender shame!)

Are they local?

LOL

Not sure where they are from, a friend on mine has to go to Vietnam with his wife (where she's from) and he unloaded some food (king crab legs & lobster tails) on me before he left.

 

[ChefWide]

LOL

Not sure where they are from, a friend on mine has to go to Vietnam with his wife (where she's from) and he unloaded some food (king crab legs & lobster tails) on me before he left.

Ok, lobster is a religeous thing for me, sorry if I get all steamed up....



Dinner? Lunch? Fancy? Fast and dirty?

 

[velvett]

Fast and dirty?

Yes please, I'll take one of those.

 

[ChefWide]

Yes please, I'll take one of those.

Ok, assuming that I can't slather melted butter all over you, here goes the other thing I was thinking about:

Warm Lobster and Papaya Salad with Foie Gras

I am guessing that the lobsters are still raw and in the shell: cool. If not, let me know. Defrost them under cold water, running is ok. When they are 'bendable', submerse them in boiling water for about two minutes, just enough to get them to pull from the shell, remove and submerse in cold water to shock. When cool, use kitchen sheers to clip and knock the jackets off of them. Slice them down the middle then 3 or 4 times accross, they need to be one-biters, you know, something you can fit into your mouth all at once but that still makes you work a bit.

here goes:

this will serve four as an app, but two for a main course salad. It's a manly thing, so don't call it a salad if you have some types that are not confident with their gender rolls, the term 'salad' generally scares those sissies off.

Part one
4 lobster tails, prepared as above
4 tbs peanut oil
4 tbs chopped shallots
1tbs chopped garlic

Part two
2tbs sherry vinegar
2tbs chopped chives
1tbs grated lemon rind

Part three
4 cups of really hearty greens (frisse, escarole, cress, 'rugula, italian parsley)
6 oz fresh duck foie, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
a little flour for dusting
Big fat papaya, peeled and diced
salt and pepper
****************************************

Get the oil hot, add lobster then shallots and garlic DO NOT STIR OR TURN for about a minute or until you see the lobster meat getting really red and seizing up, then toss for about another minute. Add part two, when the vinegar comes to a boil, add the greens, toss then add the mixture to large salad plates (I like shallow pasta bowls)

Put a non stick pan on high heat, season then dust the foie with the flour and sear in the pan, no fat needed. Foie should take about 30 seconds each side. Lay the foie on the salad and garnish with the papaya.

This is a serious sex meal. Foie and lobster? Biblical boning will be on the menu for desert.

 

[velvett]

OMG!

Looks like I have to go to store and take a shower.

*faint*

 

[ChefWide]

OMG!

Looks like I have to go to store and take a shower.

*faint*

I already warned you about that....

 

[ChefWide]

You will need this on hand all the time, not only because its one the best things on earth, but because I use it in damn near everything:

Chefwides Garlic Confit

Go buy the largest container of peeled whole garlic cloves you can find. Costco and Sams have them by the gallon. Good thing.

This is a method of cooking more than a recipe, but you will get the idea. We are going to make roasted garlic without roasting it, but rather by submersing it in good olive oil and cooking it VERY slowly until it is soft enough to spread like butter. A VERY VERY good thing.

So, here goes: get a good heavy bottomed pot that can hold all the garlic you plan to cook about as half as deep as it is wide. If the garlic is 6 inches deep, your pan should be 12 inches accross: this is just a guide, dont bug out if you cant meet the measure, if you can, great.

Cover the garlic with enough virgin olive oil to cover by about a half inch to an inch. Then put on medium high heat until the garlic starts to bubble. JUST BARELY BUBBLE, don't fry the garlic, or it turns bitter and turns to shite. Lower the heat and just barely bubble it for as long as it takes until you can easily mash a clove against the side of the pot with a fork. It could take a half hour or two hours, depends on how much garlic. It will be really REALLY soft. Remove from the heat and let cool in the oil.

You can jar it, you can split it up and freeze it, or you can fridge it for about two weeks.

The garlic: heaven. The oil: fantastic.

When you see 'garlic confit' in a recipe of mine, you now know what the hell he is on about, 'garlic oil' same deal.

This stuff makes EVERTHING better if you have it on hand: a dozen cloves of this right on top of any meat, fish, egg dish, bread, salad, you name it. You will have perfectly sweet, soft, fantastic roasted garlic ready all the time. No peeling, no hassle.

Let me know.

Chef

 

[ChefWide]

Another fresh relish, this time use peaches not completely soft-ripe, but between ripe and hard.

Garlic-Chili Peach Relish

8 large peaches, thinly sliced
2 red bell pepper, jullienne
2 Poblano chili, jullienne
2 red onions, super thin sliced
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup garlic oil, see earlier post
2 tbs molasses or maple caramel
juice from 6 limes
2 tbs diced red Fresno chili, or any medium hot chili
1 cup rough chopped italian parsley
1 cup garlic confit
1 tbs toasted yellow mustard seeds
salt and pepper

**************************************

Combine and let sit over night. Really easy.

Use this on grilled meats. It kicks ass with Mako, or swordfish or tuna.

 

[jenscats5]

Wow Chef!! They sound yummy!! I can't wait to try the garlic confit....MMMMMMMM

Now I just hope my pesto isn't ruined.....when we went to the gym, my hubby left the freezer door open & it thawed out (along with the other stuff). Thaaaank you!! Grrrrr

 

[ChefWide]

Do you do the vitamin C trick with your pestos?

 

[jenscats5]

Do you do the vitamin C trick with your pestos?

Obviously not, since I don't know what that is......

 

[ChefWide]

Obviously not, since I don't know what that is......

Ascorbic Acid makes the green in the chlorophyl go apeshit! And keeps it stunningly green, even under heat. You know how veg/leafy purrees tend to go black/grey when left out or uncovered? no more!

For every pint of green purree (spinach, arugula, basil, parsley, etc) I toss in a crushed 1000mg vitamin c tab. You will freak at how beautiful the color is after that and at how long it stays fresh looking/tasting as the vitC keeps it from oxidizing.

One of those goofy 'trúcs' (kitchen trick) that once you learn you never unlearn.

 

[velvett]

I think the three of us need to be left alone in a spacious kitchen together.

 

[jenscats5]

Ascorbic Acid makes the green in the chlorophyl go apeshit! And keeps it stunningly green, even under heat. You know how veg/leafy purrees tend to go black/grey when left out or uncovered? no more!

For every pint of green purree (spinach, arugula, basil, parsley, etc) I toss in a crushed 1000mg vitamin c tab. You will freak at how beautiful the color is after that and at how long it stays fresh looking/tasting as the vitC keeps it from oxidizing.

One of those goofy 'trúcs' (kitchen trick) that once you learn you never unlearn.

Hey, cool!!!!

Gonna put up some Mango Chutney today...... Hope it turns out!!

 

[ChefWide]

This is a killer with steak.. mmm.. meat...


Fried Onion Chutney

2 tbs olive oil, NOT virgin
4 Vidalia Onions VERY thinly sliced, if you have a 'Mandoline', go for it
1 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tbs galangal (you can use fresh ginger) minced fine
2 Whole Star Anise, crushed with the back of a pan
1 Tbs curry powder
1/8 tsp cinamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 tbs molasses, unsulfured please
2 tbs frozen o.j.
2 tbs distilled white vinegar
1 cup garlic confit, see earlier post
salt and cracked pepper

***********************************

Large pan, medhigh heat, saute onions until brown and lovely, about 7 minutes, maybe a little longer. Add minced raw garlic and galangal/ginger, saute another minute. Add the remaining ingredients except for garlic confit and salt and pepper. Cook five more minutes, stirring once in a while, add garlic and season, stir, remove from heat and cool.

Yum.

 

[jenscats5]

This is a killer with steak.. mmm.. meat...


Fried Onion Chutney

2 tbs olive oil, NOT virgin
4 Vidalia Onions VERY thinly sliced, if you have a 'Mandoline', go for it
1 Tbs minced garlic
2 Tbs galangal (you can use fresh ginger) minced fine
2 Whole Star Anise, crushed with the back of a pan
1 Tbs curry powder
1/8 tsp cinamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 tbs molasses, unsulfured please
2 tbs frozen o.j.
2 tbs distilled white vinegar
1 cup garlic confit, see earlier post
salt and cracked pepper

***********************************

Large pan, medhigh heat, saute onions until brown and lovely, about 7 minutes, maybe a little longer. Add minced raw garlic and galangal/ginger, saute another minute. Add the remaining ingredients except for garlic confit and salt and pepper. Cook five more minutes, stirring once in a while, add garlic and season, stir, remove from heat and cool.

Yum.

OMG............ I'm drooling now.....

 

[Scotsman]

Chefwide- As I read this I again bow down before the temple that is your kitchen.

The garlic confit souds exquisit. I like to slow roast garlic in oil then mash it together with butter, then spread it on fresh hot bread.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[ChefWide]

Chefwide- As I read this I again bow down before the temple that is your kitchen.

The garlic confit souds exquisit. I like to slow roast garlic in oil then mash it together with butter, then spread it on fresh hot bread.

Cheers,
Scotsman

The garlic confit is as old as the hills I suppose, but I really did stumble on that by myself out of time contraints when I was the only guy in the kitchen down in Antigua. I didn't have the time to roast the garlic and then peel it, as per usual, and roasting peeled garlic has the tendency to over'brown many of the cloves leaving a bitter aftertaste... so.... when making some beef cheeks confit for ravioli I had some whole cloves from the marinade drop into the oil and BOING! culinary wood.

 

[ChefWide]

Here is a totally uncooked chutney, my punjabi friend calls this kind of chutney a 'pickle'... Green mangos mean UNRIPE not the color, just so you know...


Green Mango-Carrot Chutney

3 green mangoes, peeled and off the pit, DO NOT DICE
1 large carrot, peeled
1 tbs fresh ginger, minced
1 tbs chili flakes
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar ( I like Banyuls, you make the call)
3 tbs unsulfured molasses
1 tbs corriandre seeds, crushed
juice of one fat lime
salt and pepper

**********************************

Shred the mango and carrot on the big holes of a box grater or with the grating attachement of a food processor. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, let sit for one hour at room temp, then for at least 3 hours in the fridge to let the flavors marry. I like to take a bit more time on this one: do the same method as above but hold off on the salt, pepper and molasses until the next day.

cheers

chef

 

[jenscats5]

I've got a cranberry/fig chutney on the stove right now....

The mango chutney is in the fridge......it's got about 2 hours to go till canning....