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January 31, 2012 by Jarrett
An amazing combination of flavors in this recipe.
JAMAICAN CURRIED SHRIMP
& MANGO SOUP
Serves: 4 | Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 40 Minutes | Ready In: 40 Minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 serrano chile, minced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 cups seafood broth or stock or clam juice
- 1 can (14-ounce) coconut milk
- 3 ripe mangoes, diced
- 1 1/4 pounds raw shrimp (21-25 count), peeled and deveined
- 1 bunch scallions, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
PROCEDURE
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, chile (if using), curry powder, and thyme; stir constantly for 30 seconds.
- Add broth (or stock or clam juice), coconut milk, and mangoes.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Puree 3 cups of the soup in a blender. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.)
- Return the puree to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Add shrimp and cook until pink and firm, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in scallions and salt.
- Like I said in the intro, these flavors combine well to totally confuse the tastebuds, and they need that every once in awhile.
I sometimes serve this with a small scoop of rice.
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads | Tags: | No Comments
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January 31, 2012 by Jarrett
Here is an interesting twist to your everyday chili.
SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN
CHILI
Serves: 4 | Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 25 Minutes | Ready In: 40 Minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 cans (15-ounce) black beans, rinsed
- 1 can (14-ounce) diced tomatoes
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
PROCEDURE:
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
- Add water and bring to a simmer.
- Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often.
- Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
Fresh homemade cornbread will make this meal complete!
I cut down on the lime juice in the recipe and serve with a wedge of lime.
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads | Tags: black bean,sweet potato | No Comments
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January 27, 2012 by Jarrett
A lady read my blog and sent me a message: “Since you went to culinary school in Baltimore, I’ll bet you have a great crab soup recipe” …well MJC, I’ll bet you’re right!
MARYLAND CRAB SOUP
Serves: 8-10 | Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Ready In: < 30 Minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 (14.5 oz.) Cans stewed tomatoes
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup fresh Lima beans
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 pound blue crab crab meat
- 10 blue crab claws, steamed (optional)
- 1 gallon water
PROCEDURE:
- Place whole tomatoes, water, Lima beans, corn, sliced carrots, chopped onion, Old Bay seasoning, and beef broth, in a 4 quart pot. Heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Bring 1 gallon water to boil.
- Add crab claws and boil 6 minutes.
- Drain crab and set aside
- Stir crabmeat (and crabs claws, if desired) into tomato and vegetable mixture.
- Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes longer.
- Serve hot.
The is the real stuff. Genuine Maryland crab soup, direct from the Chesapeake Bay area. It is the one we served at the restaurant in the Inner Harbor, rumor has it that it came from the chef’s grandmother from Dundalk, MD.
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads | Tags: crabmeat,soup | No Comments
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January 24, 2012 by Jarrett
With winter comes a need for warmth and a hankering for comfort food, so why not dress it up a little with this recipe?
VEGETABLE POT-PIES w/ SWEET POTATO BISCUITS
Serves: 8 Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) Prep Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: < 2 Hours
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
- 1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled and halved
- 1 medium (1 1/2 pounds) head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
- 1 large (1 1/2 pounds) celery root , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 20 sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped sage
- 6 sprig thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Unbaked Sweet Potato Biscuits
- 1 large egg, beaten
PROCEDURE:
- Preheat the oven to 425°.
- In a large roasting pan, toss the parsnips, Brussels sprouts, pearl onions, cauliflower, and celery root with the olive oil.
- Add 6 of the sage leaves and 4 of the thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned in spots.
- Discard the sage leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Lower the oven temperature to 375°.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the milk with the chopped onion, parsley, 6 of the sage leaves and the remaining 2 thyme sprigs, and bring to a simmer.
- Cover and let stand off the heat for 15 minutes.
- Strain the milk; rinse out the saucepan.
- Melt the butter in the saucepan.
- Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until golden, about 2 minutes.
- Add the strained milk to the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and whisk occasionally until very thick, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk in the chopped sage and thyme and the heavy cream and season with the nutmeg and salt and pepper.
- Fold the sauce into the roasted vegetables.
- Spoon the vegetable mixture into eight large, 4-inch-wide ramekins and top with the unbaked Sweet Potato Biscuits.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with the beaten egg and press the 8 remaining sage leaves onto the biscuits.
- Bake the potpies in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes until the biscuits are golden and risen and the filling is bubbling.
- Let the potpies cool slightly, then serve.
Wonderful individual pies, filled with a mix of sweet celery root, Brussels sprouts, and parsnips in a sage-infused cream sauce and topped with tender biscuits made with roasted sweet potato. (recipe follows)
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
CHEF’S TIP: Since this recipe calls for a few spices I’m going to throw in this tip.
When using dried spices as opposed to fresh spices a rule of thumb is 1/3 the amount of dried, for example, if the recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh spice use 1 teaspoon of dried.
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads, Vegetable Dishes | Tags: sweet potato,vegetable dish | 1 Comment
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January 24, 2012 by Jarrett
The name Mulligatawny comes from 2 oriental Indian words meaning ‘pepper water’ and curry is the particular ingredient that gives this incredible soup such a delicious flavor…so I’m told. This old recipe was given to me long ago.”
MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
Serves: 6 Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) Prep Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 apple, cored and chopped
- 1/4 cup white rice
- 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half – cut into cubes
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch dried thyme
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, heated
PROCEDURE:
- Saute onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot.
- Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes.
- Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil.
- Simmer about 1/2 hour.
- Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done.
- When serving, add hot cream.
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
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January 6, 2012 by Jarrett
Sometimes we get caught up in the “newer” recipes and forget about some old stand-bys. Had a request for a “simple” French Onion soup, here you go.
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Serves: 6 Difficulty | Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 1 Hour | Ready In: < 2 Hours
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
- 10 cups thinly sliced onions (from about 5 large)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 10 cups chicken broth
- Three 3-inch pieces baguette, halved diagonally
- 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
PROCEDURE:
- Melt butter in a heavy chef’s casserole or a large pot over medium-low heat. Stir in onions.
- Cover and cook until onions are very tender but not brown, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
- Add wine.
- Cover and cook until liquid has evaporated and onions are pale golden, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
- Add broth and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with cheese
The only real preparation for onion soup is slicing the onions. Otherwise, what’s needed is plenty of time for the onions to cook slowly enough to soften and turn golden without browning.
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads | Tags: french onion,french onion soup,soup | No Comments
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January 5, 2012 by Jarrett
A nice hot hardy soup to take the chill off.
CABBAGE & WHITE BEAN SOUP
w/ PROSCIUTTO
Serves: 4 | Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 15 Min. | Ready In: < 1 Hour
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 fresh or canned plum tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 small head savoy cabbage* cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 quart water
- 2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups drained and rinsed cannellini beans (from one 19-ounce can)
- 1/4 pound sliced prosciutto, chopped
PROCEDURE:
- In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat.
- Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
- Add the cabbage, water, broth, rosemary, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and simmer until just warmed through, about 3 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle the prosciutto over the top.
- Prosciutto beautifully complements cabbage and beans, but if you toss it into the soup pot its flavor cooks away to nothing. Sprinkle some over the top of each serving instead.
*Savoy Cabbage: Beautiful crinkled leaves make Savoy cabbage the most attractive member of the cabbage family. It also has a unique flavor, mellower than other varieties, even a little bit sweet. But you can certainly substitute regular green cabbage here if you prefer.
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads | Tags: cabbage,Prosciutto,soup,White Beans | No Comments
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December 28, 2011 by Jarrett
Different areas of the country have they’re different traditions as to what to eat on New Years to ensure good luck throughout the coming year. This is the one that is most widely observed in the South.
This hearty soup combines two lucky foods, black-eyed peas and collard greens, with vegetables and smoky ham. Enjoy on New Year’s Day, or any day, for a satisfying, warming meal.
BLACK-EYED PEA & COLLARD GREENS SOUP
Serves: 6 | Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 15 Min. | Ready In: 90 Minutes *
* After soaking time
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 pound cooked Black Forest ham or smoked turkey breast, cut into small cubes (optional)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bunch collard greens, tough stems and ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Cayenne pepper to taste
PROCEDURE:
- Carefully pick through peas to remove any debris or small stones and rinse well.
- Transfer to a large bowl, cover by 3 inches with water, cover and set aside at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
- Drain and rinse well.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot.
- Add onion, garlic, ham and celery and cook until onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add peas and broth, bring to a boil and skim off and discard any foam on the surface.
- Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until peas are tender, about 45 minutes.
- Add collard greens and carrots and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Season with salt, pepper and cayenne and serve.
Serve with thick slices of toasted crusty bread. If you prefer your soup to have a thicker consistency, mash some of the cooked peas against the side of the pot, then stir them back into the broth before adding the collard greens and carrots.
Enjoy and Good Luck,
Chef Phil
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads | Tags: black-eyed peas,collard greens,ham,soup recipe | 1 Comment
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December 16, 2011 by Jarrett
Here is a recipe for Stilton Cheese Soup that I brought back from Ireland.
ROYAL STILTON CHEESE SOUP
Serves: 6-8 | Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 10 Min. | Ready In: < 1 Hour
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons garlic , minced
- 2 onions diced
- 2 medium potatoes , peeled and diced
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dry English-style mustard (I used Coleman’s )
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled Stilton cheese , Royal (reserve some for topping )
- 1 dash Worcestershire sauce (to taste )
- 2 dashes Tabasco sauce (to taste )
- salt , kosher (to taste)
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon , crumbled
- fresh ground black pepper (to taste )
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
PROCEDURE:
- Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat
- Add onions, potatoes, red pepper flakes and garlic, cook, stirring until onions are clear .
- Add stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Place soup in a food processor or blender with half the bacon and process until smooth .
- Pour cream into a saucepan, stir in the mustard and bring to a boil stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat and simmer for about 4 – 5 minutes. Slowly add the crumbled cheese, stirring until melted.
- Season to taste with the Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with remaining bacon and Stilton cheese and serve.
It was a regular at the restaurant in Dublin, hope you enjoy !
Chef Phil
Category Recipes, Soups & Salads | Tags: cheese,soup | No Comments
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December 1, 2011 by Jarrett
This satisfying stew contains chunks of chicken and tender braised escarole in a flavorful Dijon wine sauce.
DIJON CHICKEN STEW
Serves: 4 | Difficulty Level: 1 (of 5) | Prep Time: 35 Minutes | Ready In: 35 Minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup sliced shallots
- 1/4 cup chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 cups (1 medium head) chopped escarole
- 1 can (14-ounce) reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
PROCEDURE:
- Whisk water, mustard, and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add shallots, garlic, and rosemary; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add wine, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is almost evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add chicken, escarole, and broth.
- Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Whisk the cornstarch mixture and add to the pot.
- Bring the stew to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Try it with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork tenderloin. Serve with rustic whole-grain bread.
Enjoy,
Chef Phil
Category Chicken, Recipes, Soups & Salads, Stews | Tags: Chicken,dijon mustard,stew | No Comments