Recipe, Rock Shrimp Ceviche!

Ceviche is another simple, fresh recipe that sings with the season of spring and summer. Here it is middle of February and I am talking spring and summer, must be the spring type weather we have been experiencing this week. Yesterdays Pico de Gallo recipe will be used to create this refreshing Rock Shrimp Ceviche, can't get any simpler.

1 lbs cleaned Rock Shrimp
1 cup Pico de Gallo (previous post)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
fresh cilantro sprig for garnish

combine all ingredients in glass bowl, let stand in refrigerator for 1 hour, taste and adjust seasoning and serve. Rock Shrimp has a sweeter flavor in my opinion that rounds out the heat from the jalapeno and manzana chili's in the Pico de Gallo. This is a great one to serve as a shooter as pictured but also works well on a bed of fresh greens or as a tostada with Avocado and a dollop of Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche.
Enjoy!

Recipe, Pico de Gallo, fresh, spicy goodness!

Pico de Gallo, simple &  fresh!

4 Roma Tomatoes (small dice)
2 Jalapeno Chilies (fine dice)
1 Habenero or Mansano Chili (fine dice)
1/2 White Onion (fine dice)
4 Green Onion (sliced)
Juice of 1 lime
Fresh Cilantro (as you like it)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tsp White Vinegar
S&P to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir and your done. How simple is that, Pico de Gallo has many uses that go beyond being a salsa, it has many variations and is made differently from region to region south of the boarder not to mention variations of other countries. Over the next few posts I'll share some of my favorites utilizing Pico de Gallo.
Enjoy!

Recipe, Poached Chicken Breast with Flavor!

Chicken, Poached Chicken, does your poached chicken breast turn out like tasteless rubber? This is all to often the results of improper poaching technique. Poaching is not boiling, in fact poaching is a slow process for best results. Poaching can also leave your chicken in this case tasteless but leaving you with a flavorful broth. A simple fix indeed. As with all of my recipes they a nothing but guidelines to be built upon through your own imagination. The following process will leave you with both flavorful Poached Chicken that is moist, flavorful and a great base broth for Chicken Pesole.

1 tbsp red chili powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
6 smashed garlic cloves
1 tbsp oregano
2 ea whole Thai chili's
2 tbsp cumin seeds or 1 tbsp cumin powder
handful fresh cilantro
1 diced onion (your choice of type)
2 bay leaves

Heat a 4 quart pot over med high heat, add dry ingredients with no oil and slightly roast for about 1 min, add 1 quarts of water and 1 quart of low sodium chicken broth, add fresh ingredients, cilantro ect... bring to boil. Boil for 5 mins, after liquid has boiled for 5 mins carefully add chicken breast, liquid will drop in temp, bring liquid up to slow simmer, cover for 15-25 mins depending on if you are using boned or bone in breasts. Breasts will be cooked when firm to touch. Remove chicken from poaching liquid, shred or cut to your desire. Allow liquid to cool for 15 mins then strain, save poaching liquid for future application such as Pesole.
This Poached chicken is great to have on hand for salads, sandwiches, taco's or anything else you can use Poached Chicken for. As previously mentioned use your own creative thinking when seasoning the poaching liquid.
Enjoy!!

Recipe Sausage Merquez, just enough heat to wow your buds!

If I had to pick just one sausage that would be the last sausage I ever ate it would have to be Merquez or spicy lamb sausage. There is something about the Merquez Sausage that does so well with a good Syrah and a fresh baguette, many are turned away from making there own sausage thinking it is too difficult, well my friends I am here to tell you different.

3 lbs ground lamb
2 tbsp kosher salt or sea salt
1 tsp raw sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp garlic (fine chop)
3/4 cup roasted red pepper, diced
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp smoked spanish paprika
1 tsp fresh oregano (fine chop)

Combine all above ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on.  add 3 pounds ground lamb, mix until incorporated and add 1/8 cup dry red wine, chilled 1/8 cup water continue to mix until moist. If you do not have a mixer this can be achieved in a large bowl by hand. If you do not have a stuffing attachment for your mixer or meat grinder, feel free to make this into an unbelievably good patty rather than using casing as traditional sausage.
Enjoy!!

Recipe, Mushroom Duxell one with many uses!!

Getting right to it Mushroom Duxell is in the top ten of my favorites due to the amount of uses it has, from wellington to a simple canape garnished with fresh herbs or whipped into fresh goats cheese and pipped into puff pastry boats or, or, or and the list goes on. Mushroom Duxell is in basic finely chopped mushrooms sauteed with garlic herbs and butter almost spread like, fact some chefs make it into a spread but as for me I prefer a little consistency or a bit rustic chop if you will. Where do these names come from such as Mushroom Duxell? If you were to look into it you would find that Mushroom Duxell was given its name by a French Chef in the 17th century after the name of his employer, Marquis d'Uxelles. The quickest way to prepare the mushrooms in this case Shitake, Crimni & Oyster is in the food processor, if you prefer then I would dice them at most 1/8" or a fine dice but first let's gather what is needed for this simple and versatile recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Shitake Mushrooms
1/4 lb Oyster Mushrooms
1/2 lb Crimni or Brown Mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped Shallots
1/4 cup chopped garlic( I like allot of garlic)
2 tbsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp fresh chopped Flat Parsley
1 tbsp Olive Oil or Olive/grape seed oil blend
2 oz dry white wine

First gently and importantly wash and clean the mushrooms,(i use the stem) pat dry with a clean towel and place in food processor, pulse until mushrooms are the mentioned consistency in chop. Meanwhile heat a large saute pan over med high heat, add oil allow to heat up, add shallots and chopped mushrooms, cook for about 2 mins until the water is released from the mushrooms, add garlic, thyme a pinch of S&P, saute for 2 mins add white wine, parsley and cook uncovered stirring or tossing until all the moisture is gone from the pan but the mushrooms are not dry, taste and adjust seasoning, remove from pan and there you have Mushroom Duxell. It is not set in stone of using only the mentioned mushroom, go wild and experiment to your taste, one mushroom I would not use is the Porcini, I love Porcini Mushroom but they have a strong flavor that would take over. The Duxell is nice a top beef, chicken, game meats or even cooled on a salad, great on grilled veggie pizza or a top a crostini with a lite dusting of fresh shave Parmesan, so good and so many uses.
Enjoy!!

Left In The Dark Again, proper storage of the most common of mushrooms!!

If there is one thing that makes what hair I have left on my head stand up it would have to be improper storage of mushroom beginning with how they are delivered when purchased. Mushrooms are delicate for the most part and need to breath, stuff them into a plastic bag and tie it shut is the worst thing one could do to the mushroom. After very little time mushrooms such as Agaric or white, Crimni or brown, and Shitake which are probably the most popular, produce a gas that will quickly accumulate if not allowed to breath that kills the flavor and nutritional properties in which they hold, they can also make you feel sickly even though the gas is not toxic. I mentioned the three basic Mushrooms but this holds true for all mushrooms. Mushrooms such as Matake, Chantrell, Oyster, Wood and the list continues, are even more delicate then the for mentioned but one rule holds true and that is NEVER store mushrooms in plastic or plastic bags. Most market sell them wrapped in plastic or provide plastic bags to gather them in which is just the way it is, remove them once at home from the plastic and place the mushrooms in a brown paper bag before they go into the refrigerator and do not wash them until you are ready to use them, it is OK to gently brush off some of the dirt with a mushroom brush or soft brush such as a pastry brush.  A quick word about how long mushrooms hold, dried up to two plus years, I have Porchini dust that I bought 5 years ago and am still using, Agaric or white up to two weeks the same holds true for Crimni or brown, Shitake and Portabello ect.. As mentioned there are many more types of mushrooms but for the most part keeping them in a brown paper bag and in the refrigerator is the best to preserve there high levels of micro and macro nutrients as well as flavor. Next up a Wild Mushroom Recipe that will leave even a Mushroom hater wanting more, until then "Think Good Thoughts & Smile"

Taste the Difference, some info and a simple exercise!

First let me state I make no claim to be an authority when it comes to wine, I will say I have above average knowledge that helps me in the kitchen and at the table. Does a wine glass really matter, is there a difference in how a wine is received on your pallet by the style of glass in which it is served, the questions could go on but the answer is the same, YES. Some 20 years ago I was educated by a simple exercise that is fun to do with a gathering or by ones self, I will share this in a moment but first a bit of info. There are many styles and shapes in wine glassware, each of which are designed for the specific wine one is enjoying.  The mouth of the glass dictates where the wine is received, narrow will be the front of the mouth, tongue or pallet. Lighter reds such as Pinot Noir or Zinfandel should hit the tip of the pallet or tongue first where a Cabernet or Syrah should be received in the back of the pallet or mouth so a properly served Pinot should be offered in a narrow rimmed or mouthed glass where a Cabernet should be served in a wide mouth or rimmed glass. As for the size of the bowl, when it comes to reds large is better, much like sauteing in a pan, where there is room there is flavor, this may be a bad analogy but I think you get the idea but just in case the larger the area the more air, the more air the greater release of flavor, tannins ect.....OK here is a fun little exercise, gather up a bottle of Pinot Noir and two Pinot glasses with big bowl and narrow mouth ,a bottle of Cabernet and two Cab or Bola glasses, big bowl and wide mouth, now simply try each of the wines in the proper glassware then try them in the other glass. The flavors of each wine will be distinctly different in the different glassware, different hit of tannins, fruits and alcohol. Wines are being released much sooner than they should be thus wines cost less on average than they did say 15-20 years ago,  much has to do with the economy and wineries surviving. Well I hope if you are one who enjoys a good wine this will enhance your Red wine drinking experience. I am thinking recipe time so stay tuned and as always "Think Good Thoughts & Smile".