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CookTeaser

“Photos, Recipes & CookTales For Those Who Enjoy Cooking”

July 5, 2011 Curry Butter Under The Skin Of Chicken Thighs.


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

I’m a home cook, taught by the process of trial and error, mostly error. My first commandment is “keep the recipe short and simple, and use the best of ingredients available”. High on that list are dry spices. I purchase mine, always dependable, from Penzeysspices.com. Their monthly catalog is jammed with good stuff. This recipe is hard to beat, your only caution is not to overcook the thighs. To assure that, I use an electric fry pan, and the thighs are out of the pan when their internal temperature is around 140〫F. By the time they reach the plate their heat is raised by at lest 5〫F. They are still moist, Juicy & loaded with curry flavor.

INGREDIENTS

2 8 Ounce Skin On Chicken Thighs
1 TB of mild Curry Powder (or to your liking)
2 TB of Butter
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1/4 Cup of diced Parsley
1 TB of Olive Oil for the fry pan

METHOD

1. Mix together the Curry Powder & Butter into a smooth emulsion.
2. Carefully lift the Thigh’s skin & with a spatula & coat the meat.
3, Rub any remaining Curry Butter on the skin.
4. Salt & Pepper the Thighs. Set aside until 25 minutes before serving.
5. Heat the pan, (preferably electric) to 325〫F
6. Add 1TB of Olive Oil & when rippling, add the Thighs, skin side down.
7. Pan fry for about twelve minutes & turn the underside down for about another twelve minutes. Check the internal temperature, 140〫F is ideal.
8. Remove each Thigh to a plate & spoon the delicious Curry Butter sauce around them. Sprinkle on the Parsley, & serve

July 4, 2011 Memphis Style Barbecue Sauce


RECIPE

Makes 2 cups

A CookTale

In the June/July issue of Saveur, one of my most anticipated monthly magazines are nine recipes for nationwide barbecue sauces. This is one of them and possibly one of the most popular.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups ketchup
⅔ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1½ tsp. mild hot sauce
1½ tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dry mustard powder

METHOD

1. Bring ketchup, vinegar, both sugars, juice, Worcestershire, pepper, hot sauce, onion and garlic powders, mustard, and 1 cup water to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 30 minutes.

July 4, 2011 The Independance Day Classic Memphis Style Spareribs


 

 
RECIPE

Serves 5

A CookTale

Google lists 297,000 recipes for Baby Back Spareribs, here is one of them, & possibly one of the most classic. I used Baby Back Spareribs vs Spareribs, looking for more meat on the bone. But I am far from a Tennessee southern boy raised on smoke & barbecue. Simply a migrant from New York City raised on Corned Beef & Pastrami.

INGREDIENTS

MEMPHIS DRY RUB

1 TB Sweet Paprika + 1 TB Pimenton, Smoked Paprika
2 TB Light Brown Sugar + 1 TB Granulated Sugar
1-1/2 tsp Onion, Garlic Powder & Chile Powder
1-1/2 tsp Cayenne
1 TB Salt
1-1/2 tsp Pepper
1 tsp of dried Thyme

Mix together & apply liberally to both sides of the ribs.

WET MOPPING SAUCE

1/2 cup of Apple Juice
3 TB of Apple Cider Vinegar

METHOD FOR 5 POUNDS OF BABY BACK SPARERIBS

1. After coating with the dry rub, refrigerate overnight.
2. Soak hickory chips in water for at least 1 hour or more,
add a smoker pan with about 2 cups of chips to the floor of the grill.
3. Also add an aluminum pan filled with water to the floor of the grill. This addition supplies continuous moisture.
4. Heat the outdoor gas grill to 350F.
5. Add the ribs. close the cover & keep checking the internal temperature to be no more than 140F, 6. Continue to brush the ribs with the wet sauce.
7. Overcooking was the bad mistake I made, I cooked the ribs to 180F. They were quite tender, but definitely on the dry side.

July 3, 2011 Roasted Green Onions From The Saugerties Farmers Market


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

At 10:AM on Saturdays, The Saugerties Farmers Market opens to the public, & that’s the time to select the cream of their vendors crop. I immediately pounced on freshly-picked-that morning-Green Onions, & swooped up four, two white & two red for the evening’s dinner. As beautiful to a cook as one could imagine. And certainly not the kind one usually sees at a supermarket. Another advantage of country life.

INGREDIENTS

4 Well developed Green Onions
Salt & Black Pepper
1-1/2 Tb of EVOO
5 Garlic Cloves, peeled & left whole

METHOD

1 Heat the oven to 400F
2. Season the Green Onions with the S&P. Add the EVOO.
3. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes. Be sure they are tender & well browned.
4. Remove from the oven & they’re finished.
The Garlic will have lost its bite & become part of the dish.

July 3, 2011 Pork Rib Chop From Heather Ridge Farm


 

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

Tucked away in the Hamlet of Preston Hollow, NY is a remarkable farm that features all things country, especially products of extraordinary quality from grass fed livestock. Though it’s a small journey from Woodstock, a phone call to Carol Clement and your order is awaiting you at the Saturday Saugerties Farmer’s Market. And it’s always as wonderful as can be. Now their forager is bringing in Chanterelles on sale at $4 a basket. Can’t beat that and I have a standing weekly order.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/3 Pound of Pasture Raised Pork Rib Chop, 1-1/4″ thick
Salt & Black Pepper generously applied
1 TB of a meat seasoning like Montreal Steak Rub
1 TB of Olive Oil+ 1 TB for the saute pan
1 Large Onion thinly sliced with a Mandoline
2 cups of Apple Juice or Water

METHOD

Here is a technique that insures that your Pork will not seize up during cooking.

1. Heat a cast iron grill pan to smoking.
2. Apply the seasonings & 1 TB of Olive Oil
3. Sear the pork, weighted down with a grill press for 1 minute, turn diagonally & repeat for another minute. turn the pork & repeat.
4. Remove to a platter.
5. In a deep sided saute pan add the second 1 TB of Olive Oil.
6. Add the Onions & saute until tender & lightly browned.
7. Add the Pork & the Apple Juice or Water, enough to reach half way up the chop.
8. Cover & braise the meat for no more than 20 to 25 minutes. You do not want the Pork to be cooked beyond the rare to medium rare stage. Well done does only one thing to Pork, destroy it.

July 2, 2011 Blue Cheese Sliders.


RECIPE
Serves 2
A CookTale

What’s to say about small burgers, 3 vs 8 ounces? The marketing guys named them sliders?
The adding of different ingredients to the mix raises their social standing. In this case crumbled Blue Cheese. Or it could be finely diced Portobello Mushroom or Bacon & Cheddar or you can use your imagination.

INGREDIENTS

1 Pound of ground Chuck alone, or combined with Sirloin, Brisket, or Short Rib. Check your friendly butcher.
1/2 Cup of the added ingredient
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper ( generously applied)
1/2 Cup of diced Tomatoes
1 TB of Olive OIL

METHOD

1. Form the prepared meat into 4 3 ounce patties.
2. Heat a cast iron grill pan to very hot, almost smoking.
3. Grill to your satisfaction. A grill press topping the patties speeds up the cooking & leaves tasty sear marks.
4. Warm the diced Tomatoes & add to the plate.
5. Salt & Pepper to taste.
6. Ready to serve.

July 2, 2011 Spaghetti Marinara, Sauce by Rao’s


RECIPE
Makes 7 cups

A CookTale

It’s easy to buy, but enjoyable to make. Rao’s products are nationwide & are top of the line. In the event you are ambitious here is the recipe for a rainy day.

INGREDIENTS

2 cans Rao’s Imported Italian Peeled Tomatoes
1/4 cup Rao’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 oz. saltpork, cut in small pieces (opt.)
3 tablespoons minced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
6 leaves fresh basil, torn
Pinch of dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Place Rao’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add saltpork to pan. Saute 5 minutes or until fat has been rendered. Discard saltpork. Saute onion for 3 minutes or until translucent . Add garlic and saute until just softened. Stir in Rao’s Imported Italian Peeled Tomatoes, reserved juice and salt. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook for about an hour or until flavors have combined and sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in basil, oregano and pepper and cook for an additional minute.

July 2, 2011 Dragon Tongue Beans


RECIPEServes 2

A CookTale

My friend Mike Jenkins arrives with a box of bean & raves about them. I raise an eyebrow & question, “a new bean”?
Mike answers you’ll see, just don’t overcook them. Keep a crunch. I did & they were truly terrific. But with an unusual name, Dragon Tongue. After many evenings of standing in front of the stove, they came to the rescue to save a simple dinner. Cath enjoyed them with her steamed Broccoli.

INGREDIENTS

1 Pound of Dragon Beans ( if you can find them)
Sea or Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1-1/2 TB of EVOO

METHOD

1. Simply steam the Beans for no more than 2 or 3 minutes. (Almost uncooked or to taste.)
2. Drain & transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Toss with the EVOO & sprinkle Salt & Pepper.

Thanks Mike they were very tasty.

A

July 1, 2011 Heirloom Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella & Basil Leaves


 

RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

To us nothing is a better first course in the Summertime than Heirloom Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella, fresh Basil leaves & EVOO. We found the heirlooms at the marvelous SunFrost Market in Woodstock. Though priced at a king’s ransom, you do get what you pay for. Just look at the photo, it says more than I could ever attempt to describe.

INGREDIENTS

2 Heirloom Tomatoes, medium size about 3/4 of a pound
1 Ball of Bufalo Mozzarella
6 Basil Leaves cut vertically in half
1-1/2 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt added after it’s all tossed together. Not before.

METHOD

1. Slice the Buffalo Mozzarella into 2- 1/2″ slices.
2. Cut the Heirloom Tomatoes into 8 quarter pieces.
3. Add to a mixing bowl & toss in the Basil Lraves.
4. Add the EVOO & carefully toss it all together.
5. Now add the Kosher Salt. Otherwise the Tomatoes will release juices.
6. It’s time to enjoy Summertime

Add

July 1, 2011 Grilled Zucchini & Scallions


RECIPE

SErves 2

A CookTale

Plated alongside the Cornish Game Hens were these vegetables. A splendid addition to a grilled dinner. Scallions make a fine plate presenter, but leave a lot to the taste. Next time I suggest you try grilling Leeks.

INGREDIENTS

2 Medium Zucchinis
2 TB of EVOO
Salt

METHOD

1. Cut the Zucchinis into 3/8″ slices, add to a flat deep sided platter.
2. Coat with the EVOO & allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or more.
3. With the grill still on, add the Zucchinis & grill for 5 minutes, turn & repeat. Watch them carefully if 5 minutes a side is too long reduce to 4 minutes. You do want them to be very tender. Remove to the marinating platter.

Note: If grilling Leeks which I’ve yet to do, I suggest looking up a recipe. Google is a good source.