Mixed Fish Jambalaya

Serves 4

2 tablespoons oil

6-8 strips bacon, diced

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

4 medium tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped

2/3 cup ready- made tomato sauce

12 ounces long grain rice

2 cups fish stock          

6 ounces firm white fish (cod or haddock), skinned, boned and cubed

4 ounces cooked peeled shrimp

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 chopped scallions, to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon until crisp.

Add the onion and celery and stir until they begin to stick to the base of the pan.

2. Add the garlic, cayenne pepper, herbs, tomatoes and seasoning and mix well.

Stir in the tomato sauce, rice and stock and bring to a boil.

3. Gently stir in the fish and transfer to an ovenproof dish.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes, until the rice is just tender.

Stir in the shrimp and heat through.

Serve sprinkled with the scallions.

Pizza Margherita

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
7 cups 00 flour, preferably Caputo brand, plus more
4 tsp. sugar
4 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Olivestri Siloro brand, plus more for drizzling
1 28-oz. can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, preferably Cento brand, undrained,
passed through a food mill
8 oz. mozzarella fior di latte ovoline or mozzarella di buffala, thinly sliced and patted
dry with paper towels
16 basil leaves, torn by hand
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make the dough: In a small bowl, whisk together yeast and 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. water
heated to 85º. Let sit for 10 minutes. Put flour and sugar into bowl of a stand mixer
fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed to combine. With mixer on, add yeast
mixture, 1 tsp. oil, and 1 1/2 cups ice-cold water; knead until smooth and a dough forms
around hook, 7 minutes. Add salt and continue kneading for 2 minutes more. (If dough
feels dry, add a few tbsp. cold water.) Divide dough into four portions, roll into tight
balls, and transfer to a lightly floured baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and
refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator and let come to room temperature. Put a pizza stone on lowest rack in oven and heat oven to 500º;
heat for at least 40 minutes. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, dust with flour; using your hands, stretch and shape dough into a 11″
—13″ circle. Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment paper. Drizzle oil around rim of dough. Spoon about 1/4 cup tomato sauce onto
dough, leaving a 1″ border. Season with salt. Arrange one quarter of cheese evenly over pizza. Drizzle pizza with more oil; using a pizza
paddle or grasping the edges of the parchment paper, transfer pizza to pizza stone. Bake until golden brown, about 13 minutes. Slide
parchment paper onto a pizza paddle or the back of a baking sheet and transfer to a work surface. Top with basil, drizzle with more oil, if
you like, and slice. Repeat with remaining dough and toppings, and reserve remaining sauce for another use, such as pasta.

Drunken Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp:
2 tablespoons white tequila
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced, plus 2 limes cut into wedges
Canola oil
32 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Spicy Pink Mayo:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Mexican crema
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon light agave
1 chipotle pepper, minced, plus 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce (add more if you like it spicy)
Kosher salt
Tacos:
Nonstick cooking spray
16 corn tortillas
1 cup finely grated Parmesan
Garnish:
2 vine tomatoes, diced
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
Cotija cheese
Lime wedges
Chopped fresh cilantro
Directions

For the shrimp: Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water, if grilling over an open flame (or use metal skewers).

Begin by making a quick marinade. In a large mixing bowl, combine the tequila, cumin, paprika, cayenne, garlic, lime juice and a little canola oil. Add the shrimp and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Take the skewers and thread 4 shrimp per skewer.

Heat up a grill, grill pan or flat top. Place the shrimp skewers on the grill and cook until pink, well-marked and nicely charred, 40 to 50 seconds. Remove from the grill and set on a large platter. Add the cilantro and finish by squeezing the lime wedges for some fresh lime juice all over (while the shrimp are warm they will soak up the lime flavor).

For the spicy pink mayo: Combine the mayonnaise, Mexican crema, lime juice, agave, chipotle and adobo sauce and some salt in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the tacos: Take a large nonstick saute pan (or on a flat grill top) and spray lightly with some nonstick cooking spray. Warm a tortilla for about 30 seconds on both sides, and then lightly coat one side with a sprinkle of Parmesan. Warm through, and then flip so it toasts cheese side down. Allow the cheese to cook and brown about 15 seconds, and then remove from pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

To assemble: Place a skewer of shrimp on a doubled-up tortilla (cheese side up) and remove the skewer to leave the shrimp lined up in a row. Top with the diced tomato, iceberg, Cotija cheese, spicy pink mayo, lime and cilantro. Serve with beans.

Cook's Note: Serve with a pinot grigio.

Ultimate Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients
Brine:
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a large knife
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 chicken legs and thighs, still connected, bone in, skin on, about 10 ounces each
The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce:
1 slice bacon
1 bunch fresh thyme
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika if available
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions

For the brine, in a mixing bowl combine the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and thyme. Transfer the brine to a 2-gallon sized re-sealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, close the bag and refrigerate 2 hours (if you've only got 15 minutes, that's fine) to allow the salt and seasonings to penetrate the chicken.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Wrap the bacon around the bunch of thyme and tie with kitchen twine so you have a nice bundle. Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the thyme and cook slowly 3 to 4 minutes to render the bacon fat and give the sauce a nice smoky taste. Add the onion and garlic and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a stir, and turn the heat down to low. Cook slowly for 20 minutes to meld the flavors. Once the sauce is done cooking, remove about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and reserve for serving along side the chicken at the table. The rest of the barbecue sauce will be used for basing the legs.

Preheat oven 375 degrees F.

Preheat a grill pan or an outdoor gas or charcoal barbecue to a medium heat. Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel and carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a nonstick surface. Take the chicken out of the brine, pat it dry on paper towels. Arrange the chicken pieces on the preheated grill and cook, turn once mid-way, and cook for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer the grill marked chicken to a cookie sheet and then place in the oven. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and then brush liberally, coating every inch of the legs with the barbecue sauce and then return to the oven for 25 to 30 more minutes, basting the chicken for a second time half way through remaining cooking time. Serve with extra sauce.

Total Time:
3 hr 20 min
Prep:
15 min
Inactive:
2 hr
Cook:
1 hr 5 min
Yield:6 servings
Level:Intermediate

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-barbecued-chicken-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

Seared Scallops with Tomato Fennel Jam

Seared Scallops with Tomato Fennel Jam

Chef Joel Gamoran’s Easy At-Home Recipe

Joel Gamoran, resident Chef from Sur La Table, shares his easy at-home recipe that will be sure to impress your dinner guests.

Ingredients:

·         1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

·         1 medium minced garlic clove

·         1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced fronds reserved

·         1–inch piece size of ginger, peeled and grated

·         1/2 teaspoon minced serrano chili

·         1/4 cup raw sugar

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

·         1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

·         1/4 cup good-quality tomato juice

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         1 pound Sea Scallops, patted dry with paper towel

·         2 tablespoon unsalted butter

·         2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the jam:

1.       Place the cherry tomatoes, garlic, fennel, ginger, chili, sugar, cumin, cinnamon and fennel seeds in a small sauce pan and place on the stove over a moderate heat to cook, until the tomatoes just start to break down, about 5 minutes.

2.       Pour in the tomato juice and bring to a boil, then reduce the stove heat to a simmer.

3.       Allow the jam cook uncovered on a low heat until the mixture looks shiny and smooth, about 1 hour.

4.       Taste and season with salt and pepper and serve. Alternatively, the jam can be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days.

To cook the scallops:

1.       Place a nonstick pan on the stove over a medium high heat. Add the butter and oil until the butter is melted.

2.       Season the scallops with salt and pepper and carefully place he scallop into the pan.

3.       Sear the first side of the scallop until golden in color and crispy, about 3 minutes. Do not move the scallops as they will build a crust as they cook. Using tongs, flip the scallops and brown the other side for about 2-3 minutes.

4.       To serve: Place a heaped spoonful of the tomato jam onto a plate and top with scallops and sprinkle with reserved fennel frons. Serve with polenta, rice or roasted seasonal vegetables.