cooking – Page 3 – Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!

June 7, 2013

The perfect one pot meal is the cassoulet

I have always thought of the revered cassoulet much like a bread pudding. This is something made with extra meals found in a large commercial kitchen.

So if you are attempting this in a smaller home kitchen then extra time needs to be set aside to make all the components before putting it together and baking it off.

This is a French favorite or Cajun if you prefer the spicy Louisiana version. The typical recipe contains three major components: a duck “confit”, a lamb stew and a ham stew.

Given it is French, you would expect that it contains the “trinity” of onions ( I prefer sweet), carrots (roundels) and celery. A Louisiana style might also contain red bell peppers (as mine does). Wine is a popular ingredient and since this is a “blend of meals”, Cote du Rhone is an apropos addition.

Of course a healthy amount of beans is used… What we call Navy Beans

So, experiment a bit and make this ancient recipe for yourself and start your own family tradition!

Bon appetite!

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May 6, 2013

Rogelio’s tamale pie for cinco de mayo

There are good tamales and they are great tamales, but a greatest way to prepare it is in pie! This gives you a wonderful way to make the filling generous… And in this I mean… Meaty!

What could be more meaty than a pound of steak, a pound of charizo and a pound of bacon? All of the meats are pre cooked and seasoned.

There are two parts to the process… Making the filling and making the topping! Since the filling contains a cup of the topping you will want to finish them at the same time.

THE FILLING

2 cups corn meal
12 ounces half and half
12 ounces cream
Salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste
Cook over a low heat until thickened then add chopped Cilantro … I use a “bunch”
2 cups of your favorite Mexican cheeses

MEATS

I like to precook the meats in a frying pan separately with seasoning.

Also dice and sauté on large sweet onion and 3 heaping tablespoons garlic… Then add to meats and set aside.

The SAUCE

Approx 15 ounce can of creamed corn
Approx 30 ounces of tomato sauce
3 teaspoons of Pimenton (Spanish Paprika )
1 teaspoon Chipotle powder
Approximately 13 roasted peppers sliced
3.8 ounce can of sliced olives (1/2 cup)
1 cup of topping
2 cups Mozzarella
Salt, black pepper and garlic powder to taste

Cook over a low heat around twenty minutes, remove from heat and add meats and 3 cups hominy

Pour into a large baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about one hour.

Bueno!!!

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April 15, 2013

Birthdays

Yesterday was my 61st. Birthday…. Somebody said that 60 was the new 40… Well, not really.

It’s always interesting to see the famous and the infamous that we share birthdays.

This year I was gifted with a new computer whose primary virtue is art programs… Which I use extensively.

May your birthday be as pleasant!

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April 7, 2013

Beignet? Oui!

Beignet is a French style “donut” that characteristically has the taste of buttermilk and ground wheat and rye flours. Cafe du Monde has been making these along with their equally famous coffee for a very long time.

Of course you can enjoy these too far from the French quarter of New Orleans at home… With a little practice and the right ingredients…. Or you can even buy their mix which shortcuts it all for you.

Rolling out the dough, cutting the squares, frying and heavily – very heavily – dusting the donut with powdered sugar is the short steps in this process!