Category Archive for ‘Recipes’


From the Gram: Recipe | “Cream of Zucchini w/ Baked Chicken, Roasted Corn and Sun-Dried Tomato”

BB_COZucchini

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 small zucchini squash
  • 1 large red onion
  • 8 cloves of garlic
  • 2 cups of leftover baked or grilled chicken
  • 2 cups of chicken stock (vegetable stock is fine)
  • sour cream
  • 2 ears of white corn
  • 1 pack of Trader Joe’s sun dried tomatoes (julienne cut)
  • flat leaf parsley
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Rough chop the red onion in 1 inch squares. In a small pan, toss the chopped onion and garlic cloves in a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the pan in an oven, preheated at 425 degrees. Let it roast for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  2. With a large knife and bowl, shave the corn off the ears. Place the corn in a single layer on a pan. Set the oven to broil and place the corn inside. Remove when corn reaches desired char.
  3. Rough chop leftover chicken and microwave (or pan-sear).
  4. Rough chop the zucchini squash in 1 inch cubes.
  5. Place the chopped zucchini and roasted onion and garlic in a blender (I used a NutriBullet). Pour in 1 cup of the stock in. Blend until perfectly pureed. Add more stock if needed for desired consistency.
  6. Pour the blended mixture in a large sauce pan on medium heat. Once the soup starts to simmer, add 3 tablespoons of sour cream, salt and pepper to taste. Stir constantly for 7 minutes.
  7. Pour soup in a bowl, top with with chicken, roasted corn and sun-dried tomatoes.
  8. Enjoy!

From the Tube: Recipe | “Shrimp + Grits”

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Ingredients
Stone Ground Grits
Butter
1 lb Shrimp (peeled and deveined; tails on)
2 Andouille Sausage Links
½ cup Sharp White Cheddar
Creole Seasoning
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Yellow Onion (diced)
2 Bell Peppers (1 red, 1 yellow; diced)
1 rib Celery (diced)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
Worcestershire Sauce
1 can Cream of Mushroom
3 Scallions (sliced)
Flat leaf Italian Parsley
1 Lemon (halved)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Grits
1. Cook the Grits to according to the package instructions. Season to taste and stir in the sharp white cheddar and butter when it’s done.

Shrimp
1. Season the shrimp with the Creole seasoning and black pepper, rubbing the spice mixture into the Shrimp.
2. Heat a tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté, stirring as they cook, for 1-2 minutes, or until just opaque, and then remove from pan and set it off to the side.

Sauce
1. Add a tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Add the dices Andouille sausage and sauté until they crisp and caramelize.
3. Then add the onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic, cooking until they soften. Add the Worcestershire and Cream of Mushroom. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10-15 minutes and darken a bit.

Plating
1. Pour grits into a bowl.
2. Pour sauce over the grits.
3. Top with the shrimp.
4. Squeeze fresh Lemon over the shrimp and garnish with sliced scallions and fresh flat leaf parsley.
5. Serve immediately.

From the Tube: Recipe | “Beer Battered Fish Tacos”

Fish-Tacos
Photo by Theo Macabeo

Ingredients (yields 10 tacos):
1 package of catfish
½-1 cup of flour
1 light beer (cold)
1 package of pre-shredded coldslaw
2 avocados
2 limes
1 8 oz. sour cream
1 small can adobo chipotle peppers
Dry Spices: cayenne pepper, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder (½ tbsp of each to start – add to taste)
1 package of corn tortilla shells

Directions: Crispy Battered Catfish
1. Remove fish from package, rinse and let dry on paper towels. Season with dry spices, then set to
the side.
2. Pour flour in mixing bowl, season with dry spices, then slowly whisk in cold beer until thick
batter forms.
3. Add fish to batter and allow it to dredge.
4. Heat oil over medium/medium-high heat. Test the heat of the oil by adding a drop of batter to pan. If it starts to bubble and crisp the oil is ready.
5. Add fish to pan slowly (do not overcrowd). Leave a little space between each piece of fish so that it cooks evenly and pieces don’t stick together. Allow the batch to cook a total of 5-6 minutes (flipping each pieces at least once) or until golden and cooked all the way through. Remember to watch your heat, you want an even fry.
6. Remove fish from pan, placing the batch on a dry paper towel and sprinkle with a little salt. Allow it to cool 1-2 minutes.

Directions: Warm, Soft Taco Shells
1. Heat empty skillet over high heat; if you have a gas range opt to heat shells directly over the flame on
high.
2. Add shell to empty pan, char on both sides (be sure not to overcook). You should still be able to fold
shell without breaking it.
3. Rest shells on plate under paper towels to keep warm.

Directions: Chipotle Sour Cream Sauce
1. In a blender, add a can of drained, chopped and seeded adobo chipotle peppers, along with the a half cup of sour cream. Blend on high until contents are smooth and creamy.

From the Tube: Recipe | “Chicken Penne alla Vodka”

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Photo by Theo Macabeo

Ingredients:
1 Box of Penne Pasta
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
Bottle of vodka
Olive Oil for pan and marinating of chicken
2 chicken breasts
3 tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic – minced
1 shallot – minced
Bunch of basil – for seasoning and garnish
1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:
● Bring a pot of SALTED water to for pasta which we will add later
● Begin by marinating chicken breast with olive oil, season liberally with salt and pepper
to taste
● Mince garlic and shallots, set to the side
● Chop tomatoes into chucks, set to the side
● Place shallow pan on stove, heat until pan is smoking visibly
● Take marinated chicken, place in pan to sear on one side for 1-1.5 mins ON EACH
SIDE, don’t meddle with chicken allow it to sear
● After each side has been seared, turn the heat down to low, cover pan with lid and let
chicken cook for ten minutes
● At this time put pasta in SALTED water and allow it to cook to al dente

SAUCE:
● Pour 2 tbs olive oil in saucepan, heat on medium
● Sauté garlic and shallots in the oil until translucent
● Next add tomatoes to the pot, sauté for 1 minute
● Add tomato sauce to pot, let it bubble and allow the tomato chucks to break down
● Add 2oz. of vodka to pot along with 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream – bring to a boil
● The turn down the heat to low, allow the alcohol to burn off – cook until color is
creamy red in color and sauce thickens
NEXT
● Drain pasta saving 1/4 cup of the pasta water — add the pasta & water to the sauce
● Mix together allowing flavors to marry and the pasta get coated in the sauce
● Chicken should be completed, remove from pan, allow it to rest for 3-5 mins – cutting
it immediately will cause the juices to run and can risk dry chicken.
● Scoop pasta on to plate, slice chicken, and serve!