| THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES:
> Article: Taking the
Fear Out of Polenta
> Wine Appreciation:
Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
> Food Funnies: Signs
You’re at a Restaurant Run by Cannibals
S
E L E C T E D R E C I P E S :
* Carrabba's
Italian Grill Stuffed Mushrooms
* Avocado
Glazed Chicken Breasts
* Grilled
Rock Lobster Tails
* Tournedos
with Bearnaise Sauce
* Enchanted
Forest Salad
* Roasted
Asparagus Tips
* Hasselback
Potatoes
* Chocolate
Fondue
Healthy Eating:
Low Carb: Tuna
and Avocado Salad
Diabetic: Beef
Paprikash
Low Fat: Broccoli
and Cheese Casserole
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This Week's Cooking Tips
========================
Clarified Butter:
For clarified butter, slowly melt
unsalted butter over low heat.
Don't let the butter come to a boil,
and don't stir it. This
allows the milk solids to separate
from the liquid butter.
Once the butter has separated into
three layers--foamy milk
solids on top, clarified butter
in the middle, and milk solids on
the bottom--turn off the heat. Skim
the foamy white solids from the
top. Then ladle off the clarified
butter. Be careful not to disturb
the milk solids at the bottom of
the pan.
Clarified butter can be used immediately.
Or, let it solidify and
keep it in the refrigerator for
up to three to four weeks.
Just remelt to use. One pound of
unsalted butter yields 1-1/4 cups
clarified butter. More
Cooking Tips
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This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer
at the bottom of page)
Famous Victorian cookery writer
Mrs Beeton had her
"Book of Household Management"
published in 1861. What
was her first name?
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Quote of the Week:
"I have made a lot of mistakes
falling in love, and regretted
most of them, but never the
potatoes that went with them."
Nora Ephron, "Heartburn"
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UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS:
February is: Berry Fresh in the Sunshine State Month
National Snack Food Month
Canned Food Month
North Carolina Sweet Potato Month
Great American Pies Month
National Grapefruit Month
National Cherry Month
National Potato Month
Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month
February 14 - National Cream Filled Chocolates Day
February 15 - National Gumdrop Day
February 16 - National Almond Day
February 17 - National Cafe Au Lait Day
February 18 - National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day
February 19 - National Chocolate Mint Day
February 20 - National Cherry Pie Day
February 21 - National Sticky Bun Day
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Taking the Fear Out of Polenta
by Mark Bittman
Like risotto, polenta suffers from
the misguided belief that it’s a
hassle to make. Experts say you
have to "rain in the grain" - adding
water to a large pot of water while
constantly stirring the cornmeal
in it to avoid lumps. And purists
can be fussy about what type of
cornmeal to use. These notions serve
to intimidate the novice or
average cook.
Let’s set the record straight: it
takes a while to make polenta, and
you do have to pay attention. But
its high-maintenance reputation is
highly overstated. It’s easy enough
to make for breakfast, and quite
good with maple syrup.
The key to making the process easy
is starting out with a slurry, a
slush-like mixture of cornmeal and
water that you whisk together
before cooking. You then put the
slurry over not-too-high heat, bring
it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer
and gradually add more water as
needed to keep the mixture smooth
and loose.
Aside from the occasional need to
whisk to stop lumps from forming,
all you need to to do from here
is to make sure that you cook it long
enough to rid the cornmeal of its
raw taste. Coarse cornmeal will
take up to 30 minutes, while a finer
grind can cook in as little as
15 minutes.
Once the polenta is tender to the
bite and reaches the consistency
you want - aim for the thickness
of sour cream - add black pepper,
grated Parmesan cheese and butter:
more is better.
Polenta can be topped with almost
anything: sausage and other
juicy meats are nice, but consider
sauteed wild mushrooms, roasted
vegetables or anything saucy. Polenta
is adaptable, in more ways than
one.
Creamy Polenta with Parmesan and
Sausage
========================================
2 tablespoons olive
oil
4 good-quality sweet
Italian sausages
1 cup medium-to-coarse
cornmeal
Salt
1/2 to 1 cup freshly
grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Freshly ground black
pepper
Put oil in a large skillet over
medium-high heat. When oil is hot,
add sausages and cook, turning occasionally,
until well browned on
all sides and cooked through, about
20 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, put cornmeal in a medium
saucepan along with 1 cup water
and whisk well to make a slurry;
continue whisking mixture to
eliminate any lumps. Put pan over
medium-high heat, sprinkle with
salt and bring to a boil. Reduce
heat to medium and continue to cook,
whisking frequently and adding water
as needed to keep mixture loose
and free of lumps, between 3 and
4 more cups. If mixture becomes too
thick, simply add a bit more water;
consistency should be similar to
sour cream’s.
Polenta will be done in 15 to 30
minutes, depending on grind. Add
cheese and butter. Taste and add
salt, if necessary, and lots of
pepper; serve topped with sausages.
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THE
E-COOKBOOKS LIBRARY - ALL YOU NEED TO COOK IT RIGHT!
========================================================
Discover
The #1 Cookbook Collection In The World!
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This Week's Wine Selection:
===========================
Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Price: $11
Here's a stellar example of how
a really good cabernet can be made
without gouging the consumer. This
is a dry, elegant and rich wine,
with firm tannins housing flavors
of blackberries, currants, herbs,
spices and smoky cedar wood. It's
a terrific value.
Serve With:
Beef Stew with Leeks
====================
3 tablespoons blended
oil
2 pounds beef stew
meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Kosher salt and cracked
black pepper
1/2 large Spanish or
sweet onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely
chopped
1 large leek, cut into
thick rounds, washed well and drained
2 tablespoons tomato
paste
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoons red wine
vinegar
3 to 5 cups water
1 fresh bay leaf or
2 dried leaves
1 large sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig sage
2 cinnamon sticks
Extra-virgin olive
oil
Grated orange zest
1 tablespoon roughly
chopped parsley
Place a large, heavy pot or Dutch
oven over medium-high heat and add
the blended oil. Season the beef
aggressively with kosher salt and
pepper. When the oil is hot, add
the beef and sear on all sides, 5 to
6 minutes. Add all the chopped vegetables
to the pan with the beef
and saute for 2 minutes. Add the
tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine
and red wine vinegar, and let them
reduce completely away.
Add 3 cups of the water, 2 teaspoons
salt and a generous grinding of
pepper, the bay leaves, rosemary,
thyme, sage, and cinnamon. Bring to
a boil, then reduce the heat to
low and partially cover the pan.
Simmer gently for about an hour.
Check and, if the mixture is dry,
add another cup or two of water.
Keep simmering for 15 to 40 minutes
more, until the meat is tender and
the braising liquid has reduced
to a saucy consistency. Remove the
bay leaves and cinnamon sticks.
Transfer to a platter and drizzle
with a little extra-virgin olive
oil, and scatter with a little orange
zest and the parsley.
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FOOD FUNNIES: Signs You’re at a
Restaurant Run by Cannibals
===========================================================
8. Instead of words on the menu,
there are photos of people.
7. You’re a little uncomfortable
with the way the chef keeps
commenting on how nicely
you’ve filled out.
6. When you visit the restroom, you
find the liquid soap
dispenser filled with
a tangy barbecue sauce.
5. The steak is cooked perfectly
and smells great. But it has a
tattoo on the edge.
4. "No Bloody Marys tonight. Sorry,
we’re all out. Might I
interest you in an
ice-cold Bloody Marguerita?"
3. Their lunch buffet is named Jimmy,
and their dinner buffet is
named Warren.
2. The breakfast menu features "Blueberry
Pancreas with a side of
Kevin Bacon."
... and the #1 Sign You’re
at a Restaurant Run by Cannibals ...
1. No sirloin in their burgers, just
100% Ground Chuck.
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Free Recipes and Cookbooks =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Carrabba's Italian Grill Stuffed
Mushrooms
==========================================
12 to 15 large mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
finely
2 ounces diced pepperoni
1/4 cup finely chopped
green pepper
1 small clove garlic,
minced
1/2 cup finely crushed
Ritz crackers, about 12 crackers
3 tablespoons grated
Parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped
parsley
1/2 teaspoon seasoned
salt
1/4 teaspoon dried
oregano
1/3 cup chicken broth
Heat oven to 325F. Wash mushrooms
and remove stems. Finely chop
stems and reserve.
In a large skillet, melt butter
and cook onion, pepperoni, green
pepper, garlic and chopped mushroom
stems until tender but not brown.
Add crackers, parmesan, parsley,
salt, oregano and a dash of pepper,
and mix well. Spoon mixture into
mushroom caps, heaping tops. In a
shallow baking pan with 1/4-inch
water covering bottom of pan, place
stuffed mushrooms. Bake uncovered
about 25 minutes until heated
thoroughly.
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Avocado Glazed Chicken Breasts
==============================
1/4 cup all-purpose
flour
Vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 large whole chicken
breast, boned, halved (skin on)
2/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon sweet
butter
1 egg, beaten
1 ripe California avocado
Mix flour, salt and pepper. Dip
chicken in egg then flour mixture
to coat. Heat a thin layer of oil
in skillet. Saute chicken skin
side down until golden. Turn and
saute other side until chicken is
tender. This will take about 7 to
10 minutes for the whole operation.
Sprinkle herbs over chicken. Add
wine and butter to pan. Bring to
boil and simmer uncovered for 3
to 5 minutes until sauce thickens
and becomes glossy.
Place halved avocado cut side down
and slice. Press down on avocado
with palm of hand to fan slices
slightly. Lift with knife or spatula
to top of chicken. Spoon some pan
juices over top. Cover skillet and
heat briefly just to warm through.
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Grilled Rock Lobster Tails
==========================
1 tablespoon lemon
juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon white
pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic
powder
2 (10 ounce) rock lobster
tails
Preheat grill for high heat. Squeeze
lemon juice into a small bowl,
and slowly whisk in olive oil. Whisk
in salt, paprika, white pepper,
and garlic powder. Split lobster
tails lengthwise with a large knife,
and brush flesh side of tail with
marinade.
Lightly oil grill grate. Place tails,
flesh side down, on preheated
grill. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes,
turning once, and basting often
with marinade. Discard any remaining
marinade. Lobster is done when
opaque and firm to the touch.
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Tournedos with Bearnaise Sauce
==============================
4 (3-ounce) tournedos
of beef
Salt
Freshly ground black
pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable
oil
2 teaspoons butter
Bearnaise sauce, recipe
follows
Season tournedos well on all sides
with salt and pepper. Heat a
small skillet over medium-high heat
until hot. Add the vegetable
oil and the butter. Add the tournedos
to pan and cook for 2 minutes
on each side for medium-rare. Serve
2 tournedos per person, topped
with the Bearnaise Sauce.
Bearnaise Sauce:
1 tablespoon chopped
shallots
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup distilled white
vinegar
2 or 3 stems tarragon
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon water
2 sticks (1/2 pound)
unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped
tarragon
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon white
pepper
In a saucepan combine shallots,
lemon juice, vinegar and tarragon
stems and cook over medium heat
until liquid has reduced to 2 tbls.
Let reduction cool to room temperature.
In a metal bowl, combine egg yolk,
water and reduction over a pot
of simmering water. Whisk well until
egg mixture begins to form
ribbons when whisk is lifted out
of mixture. While continuing to
whisk, drizzle in melted butter
little by little until completely
incorporated and sauce is thick.
Add chopped tarragon, taste and
season with salt and white pepper
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Enchanted Forest Salad
======================
Vinaigrette Dressing:
3 tablespoons shallots,
chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin
olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients. Set aside.
12 ounces fresh wild
mushrooms, assorted, sliced (shiitakes,
criminis,
oysters)
extra virgin olive
oil, for sauteing
3 tablespoons fresh
herbs, assorted, chopped (tarragon, parsley,
chives,
thyme)
2 1/4 ounces arugula
and radicchio leaves, washed and dried
3 tablespoons pine
nuts, (pignolis) toasted
3 tablespoons tomatoes,
peeled, diced
Place oil in pan, heat thoroughly.
Add mushrooms; saute until
cooked. Add vinaigrette to pan;
toss. Add herbs to pan; toss.
Place hot mushrooms in bowl with
lettuces; toss. Add nuts and
diced tomatoes. To serve, divide
into 2 plates, layering mushrooms
on top.
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Roasted Asparagus Tips
======================
1 pound asparagus,
trimmed to 4 to 5-inch tips
1 small shallot, finely
chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly
chopped tarragon leaves
Salt and pepper
1/4 lemon, juiced
Pile asparagus onto a baking sheet.
Combine lemon, shallot,
extra-virgin olive oil and tarragon.
Pour the dressing over the
asparagus and turn to coat spears
in fat. Season the asparagus
with salt and pepper and roast 15
to 17 minutes at 375F. Remove
asparagus from oven and toss with
a squirt of lemon.
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Hasselback Potatoes
===================
2 small baking potatoes,
about 3/4-pound total
2 tablespoons melted
butter
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon chopped
fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly
ground white pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons finely
grated hard cheese, such as Parmesan
1 tablespoon fine dry
bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 425F. Peel potatoes.
Cut each potato not quite
through in a series of crosswise
slices about 1/4-inch apart or
closer so that they are still joined
together at the bottom. Brush
the potatoes with the melted butter
and place in a small baking pan.
Pour the chicken stock around the
potatoes and sprinkle with the
thyme leaves. Sprinkle with salt
and pepper and roast until the
potatoes are half cooked, 25 to
30 minutes, basting every 5 minutes
with the butter-chicken stock mixture.
In a small bowl combine the grated
cheese and bread crumbs and
divide the mixture evenly between
the tops of the 2 potatoes.
Continue roasting without any further
basting until the potatoes
are crispy on the outside and cooked
through, about 30 minutes.
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Chocolate Fondue
================
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces chopped bittersweet
chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon cabernet
sauvignon
Pound cake cubes, for
dipping
Strawberries, cleaned,
for dipping
Biscotti bits, for
dipping
In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the
sugar, heavy cream, chocolate,
and butter together and microwave
for 2 minutes.
Take out of microwave and give it
a quick whisk. Add wine and whisk
again. Transfer to a fondue pot
with a flame underneath. Serve with
pound cake cubes, strawberries,
and biscotti bits on the side, for
dipping.
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This Week's Culinary
Quiz Answer: Isabella
Isabella Beeton was born in
Cheapside on March 12th 1836. She
began to write articles on cooking
and household management for
her husband who was a publisher
of books and popular magazines.
Soon after giving birth to her
fourth child in 1865 Isabella was
struck down by puerperal fever
and died a week later at the age
of 28.
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