The Happiest Day of my Life! 12/27/13

I know that I intended this blog to be a place to share recipes, but this post is a little different as it is a recipe for the happiest day of my Life.

Ingredients:

1 amazing Groom
1 lucky Bride
1 handful of beloved family and friends

Directions:

Mix all ingredients with love and happiness.  Sprinkle with California sunshine and live Happily Ever After!

All I Wanted Me Was a Little Gluten Free Cornbread!

Mark and I have several favorite films, but one film that we watch over and over again is The Green Mile with Tom Hanks.  One of our favorite scenes is where William 'Wild Bill' Wharton (played by Sam Rockwell) after being put in solitary confinement, says "All I wanted me was a little cornbread, motherf*#@!ers! All I wanted me was a little cornbread!"

Here is a GF culinary nod to The Green Mile.

Ingredients

• 1 cup gluten-free cornmeal
• ½ cup rice flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 T baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup unsweetened Silk almond milk 
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• Egg replacer to equal 2 large eggs (prepared according to package directions)  

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Grease an 8x8-inch square glass baking dish & place in heating oven
3. In a bowl, whisk dry ingredients together.
4. Add almond milk, oil, and egg replacer and corn; stir until batter is smooth.
5. Carefully remove hot pan from oven and pour the batter into the hot pan (this ensures a crisp edge on your cornbread).
6. Return the pan to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cornbread is golden brown on top.
7. Serve warm on its own or drizzled with honey.

A Taste of New York

Aunt Mary's Marinade for Chicken

Mark brought this recipe from New York and we're not sure who Aunt Mary is, but this chicken is delicious!  We love you Aunt Mary!!!

1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp Bell's poultry seasoning

Combine all ingredients and marinade chicken for a minimum of 3 hours.  Drain chicken and bbq until done.  It tastes like Summer!

Happy New Year French Onion Soup

Mark and I decided to start a new "New Year" tradition, French onion soup!  It is such a simple recipe with simple ingredients, but it yields such complex flavors.

Ingredients
2T olive oil
3lbs yellow onions
1 pinch of sugar
1T scant all purpose flour
3/4 cup good quality dry vermouth or dry white wine
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
7 cups beef stock
Salt & pepper
Toast rounds
Shredded gruyere cheese

Peel onions, cut off root end and slice thinly on a mandoline.  Drizzle the olive oil in the bottom of a large French oven over medium/ low heat.  Place sliced onions in the pot and sprinkle with pinch of sugar.  Saute slowly for 30-45 minutes or until carmelized.  Sprinkle the onions with flour and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the dry vermouth and cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the worcestershire & beef broth and simmer for another 35 minutes to let the flavors meld.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Spoon soup into bowls, top with toast rounds, sprinkle with shredded gruyere and place bowls under broiler until cheese is bubbly.  Serve immediately.

Happy New Year!

Japanese Sweet Potato Potage

Japanese sweet potatoes have a dark red or purple skin and a sweet white flesh.  They are similar to American yams, but taste sweeter.  They were the Chef's featured ingredient at a Sonoma restaurant that Mark and I went to.  We tried the soup which I re-created below and we loved it so much, we went back the next night for the Japanese sweet potato ravioli.  Here in the United States they are a fleeting Fall crop, so get them while you can.

Ingredients

1 T olive oil

1 T rendered bacon fat

1 lg sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 Japanese sweet potatoes peeled & chopped

4 C chicken stock

1 envelope Trader Joe's chicken soup base

1 tsp dried oregano

Maldon sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 T good quality sherry

Place oils in a 5 qt French Oven.  Add onions and saute until onions are soft and golden.  Add sweet potatoes, stock, soup base & oregano.  Brin to a boil and then turn down and simmer for 25 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Cool slightly, then puree in batches in a blender.  Return to pot. Season with salt, pepper and sherry.  Serve.

The Mariner Star

I am coveting this little 5 1/2 qt beauty for my own.  I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw her.  Le Creuset is amazing cookware and it will last forever!

From the Le Creuset website:
This particular limited-edition design was inspired by the coastal town of marseille. from culture to cuisine, marseille is known for its rich heritage and compelling nautical history. the deep blue hues and artisanal quality of this round french oven reflect the simple, yet elegant lifestyle of this charming port city.

As we explored the nautical roots of marseille, we discovered the mariner star. this symbol is found on compasses used for centuries to navigate the winds that blow along the mediterranean coast. the northwest point on the star represents the mistral wind that blows through marseille. each year marseille residents gather for the fête du vent, the festival that celebrates this famous mistral wind.

Our french roots and Charleston home led us to partner with the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, South Carolina, on the design of the first installment in this series. The mariner star has a particularly rich and storied history in both charleston and marseille—two of the world’s most cultured port cities. beloved by sailors and those who live by the sea, the mariner star can be found in architecture and home décor throughout marseille, charleston and other nautical cities.

In honor of Le Creuset's founding in 1925, only 1,925 round french ovens of this design have been produced and the mold has been destroyed.

Shredded Chicken - 2 ways

My co-worker, Jo hooked me up with a yummy slow cooker recipe for shredded chicken.  My slow cooker died a horrible death and I have yet to replace it.  So I decided to "slow" cook in my Staub 3 1/2 qt French oven.  It worked beautifully and the kitchen smelled divine.  Below are 2 recipes that I adapted and the best tip ever for shredding chicken!  Use your Kitchenaid mixer!

Shredded Chicken #1

Ingredients

2 cups chicken stock

1 T worcestershire sauce

2 T dry vermouth

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp onion powder

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, brined

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Mix first 6 ingredients in a French oven.  Add the brined chicken breasts and cover.  Place in hot oven and cook for 2.5 - 3 hours.  

BEST tip ever!  When chicken is done and still warm, remove breasts from liquid and place in the bowl of your Kitchenaid mixer.  Mix with paddle attachment for 10-20 seconds to shred the meat.

Meat can be cooled and frozen at this point and liquid can be used as a base for stock or a sauce.  The meat can be used for a plethora of recipes like soups and salads or add bbq sauce for pulled chicken sandwiches.

Shredded Chicken #2

Ingredients

2 jars of mexican green sauce

2 T dry vermouth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp onion powder

2 packets undiluted Trader Joes liquid chicken boullion

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, brined

Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Mix first 6 ingredients in a French oven.  Add the brined chicken breasts and cover.  Place in hot oven and cook for 2.5 - 3 hours.  This meat can be used as a filling for tacos, burritos and enchiladas or as a topping for tostadas and nachos.  

Brining: Yes or No? YES YES YES

Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home Cookbook is full of many useful chef's tips that any home cook can use.  It only took one try to sell me on the technique of brining.  I no longer worry about my boneless chicken breasts turning out dry and chewy.

Chicken Brine Recipe
from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home Cookbook

5 lemons, halved
24 bay leaves
1 bunch (4 ounces) flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch (1 ounce) thyme
1/2 cup honey
1 head garlic, halved through the equator
1/4 cup black peppercorns
2 cups (10 ounces) kosher salt
2 gallons water

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill before using. The brine can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the chicken pieces, add the chicken, and refrigerate for 12 hours. The chicken may be too salty if you brine the chicken for more than 12 hours.

Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse with cold water, pat dry with paper towels and let it rest at room temperature for over an hour.