Cannellini with Sausage

INGREDIENTS
1          tablespoon olive oil
2          Italian sausages, sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
1          large onion, chopped (1 cup)
3          large cloves garlic, minced
1          cup POMI chopped tomatoes
1          bay leaf
1          teaspoon dried thyme
1          teaspoon dried basil
1          cup beef broth
1          tablespoon tomato paste
1          can Cannellini beans (15 ounce)

METHOD
In a medium skillet, add the olive oil over medium heat and brown the sausage slices. Remove and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet. Saute the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes and add the sausage pieces, tomato, bay leaf, thyme, basil, beef broth  and tomato paste..

Increase heat to bring this to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove the bay leaf and add the beans, stirring them in. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the beans are warmed, remove from the heat and serve.

TO START WITH DRY BEANS

Use 1 pound of dry beans. Pick through them to remove any rocks and bad beans and rinse. Cover with 6 cups of water n a large sauce pan, cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and let stand for 1 hour. Add at the same place in the recipe, but extend final cooking time until beans are tender, 45 to 50 minutes or longer.

SLOW COOKER RECIPE

Prepare as above with dry beans and place everything into a slow cooker for the final cooking time. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 10 hours. Neither of the dry bean options have been tested in my kitchen, but I have them both “on good authority“ from the Internet.

Chicken Garbanzo Stew

INGREDIENTS
2          tablespoons olive oil
½         pound chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1          small white onion, chopped
1          red or orange bell pepper, diced to ½ inch
3          cloves garlic, chopped
1          tablespoons ground cumin
2          tablespoons tomato paste
1          pinch red pepper flakes
2          cups water or chicken broth
2          bay leaves
1          can (15 ounce) garbanzo beans – chickpeas

METHOD

Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is well browned on all sides. Add the onion and red bell pepper, simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

In a small bowl, mix the cumin, tomato paste and red pepper flakes with a little of the water or broth. Add, along with the remaining water/broth to the sauce pan. Scrape up any brown parts at the bottom of the pan. Add the bay leaves, reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the drained chick peas to the sauce pan and cook for 5 minutes. Let the stew cool for a few minutes and serve immediately. Produces 2 to 4 medium sized servings as a side dish.

Greens Soup

This is a tasty green puree that does well as a first course in small batches. That way, every person gets their servings of vegetables with no hassle. By varying the greens used, you can make a different soup every time. Statistically, over 150 times.

INGREDIENTS

½         bunch each of three different greens, chopped (about 2 ½ cups each)
            (see the list of greens below
2          tablespoons olive oil
1          medium white onion, chopped
4          cloves garlic, mashed
2          medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed ½ inch
2          cups low sodium chicken broth

Greens: Pick any three. Collard, bok choy, mustard, arugula, spinach, Swiss chard, kale, curly endive, escarole, dandelion greens, beet greens

METHOD

When preparing the greens, remove the tough inner stems and tear the greens into small pieces. Wash and drain or spin dry. If using mustard greens, cut back on the quantity – they are pretty strong flavored. For Bok Choy, use some of the white stem, also.

In a large sauce pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the greens in handfuls and stir them in. As each batch wilts, add another handful until all the greens are added.

Add the chopped potatoes and broth, increase the heat until the soup begins to boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Working in batches if necessary, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend to a puree. Serve immediately in small (4 to 5 ounce) portions.

Seafood Gumbo

INGREDIENTS
12        little neck clams, in the shell
½         cup dry white table wine
12        medium (4 inches long) shrimp, shelled and deveined
6          scallops, rinsed and quartered
½         pound solid fish fillet, such as cat fish, cut to 1 inch squares.
12        okra, rinsed and sliced ½ inch thick crosswise
½         recipe basic gumbo (elsewhere in this blog)

 METHOD

In a medium sauce pan, add the clams and white wine. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until all the clams are opened. If any do not open, discard them. Set aside both the clams and the liquid, strained.

In a large skillet, add the clam broth, shrimp, scallops, fish chunks and okra. Cook over medium heat until the shrimp are cooked and the okra is tender. Add the gumbo and mix well. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes to integrate the flavors, remove from the heat and serve immediately, garnished with the clams in their shells. This recipe will serve 2 people as a main dish or 4 as a side dish.

Fried Cabbage

A simple side dish that tastes way better than it should.

INGREDIENTS
1          slice of thick bacon or two of thin cut
1          medium leek
1          head Napa cabbage
1          head purple cabbage
2          tablespoons olive oil

METHOD
Cut the bacon into ¼ inch wide strips crosswise and set aside. Clean and slice the leek into ¼ inch rounds, crosswise, up into the darker green part, then cut the rounds into semi-circles. Yield should be about 1 ½ cups to 2 cups. Rinse and drain the Napa cabbage and slice it thinly crosswise until you have 2 ½ cups of sliced cabbage. Thinly slice and chop the purple cabbage until you have 2 cups of chopped cabbage.

Heat the olive oil n a large skillet and ad the chopped leeks. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes until the leeks are just tender. Add both cabbages and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until they are slightly wilted. Add the bacon strips and stir into the cabbage and leeks. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately as a side dish.

Chicken Rice Alfredo

INGREDIENTS
1          cup frozen white corn
2          medium tomatoes, diced ¼ inch
1 ½      cups chicken breast meat in 1 inch cubes
1          cup Alfredo sauce
½         cup chicken broth
½         cup Arborio or other short grain rice
1          tablespoon dried basil

 METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Place all ingredients into a 1 ½ quart baking dish. Stir to combine and place into the oven, uncovered. Bake for 15 minutes, stir the ingredients, and return to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until fairly dry and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley. This recipe will provide 2 large or 4 medium servings. If this isn't "cheesy" enough, add 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese before serving.

Brussels and Bacon

INGREDIENTS
2          pounds Brussels sprouts
1          medium white onion or medium leek
2          slices thick-cut bacon or 4 slices thin-cut
1          tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼         cup toasted sliced almonds (optional)

METHOD

Clean the Brussels sprouts by trimming off the cut end, removing the outer dark green leaves and washing/draining. If the Brussels sprouts you have chosen are on the small side (less than 1 inch long), cut them in half lengthwise. If larger (1 ½ inch to 2+ inches), slice them ¼ inch thick lengthwise. Set aside.

Dice the onion or, if using a leek, slice it crosswise ¼ inches thick up to the dark green portion. If you do not have 1 ½ cups yet, remove a few of the outer dark green leaves and slice some more. Cut these rounds in half and set aside.

Cut the bacon into ¼ inch cubes and place into a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until it is crisp and remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Retain 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat, discarding the rest into the garbage – not the sink. Add the cut leek slices and cook until they are tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts pieces, mix well, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the Brussels sprouts are tender.

Meanwhile, toast the almond slices (optional) and chop the bacon bits into small pieces. When the sprouts are done, add and mix in the vinegar, garnish with the bacon bits and almonds and serve.

Chicken and Sauaage Gumbo

INGREDIENTS
2          tablespoons olive oil
1          large chicken breast, cut to ½ inch cubes
1          medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1          medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
3-4      stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)
3-4      cloves garlic, mashed
3          large (5 to 6 inch) cooked sausages cut ¼ inch slices
10-12  whole okra, ends removed, sliced ½ inch thick rounds
1          recipe basic gumbo (elsewhere in this blog under RICE)

 METHOD

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add the chicken pieces. Cook the chicken pieces, turning often, until well browned on all sides, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the sausage slices and okra and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heart and combine with the basic gumbo rice. Return to a low heat, cover and warm for 5 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

Basic Gumbo Recipe

The recipe below is the basic gumbo preparation. To this are added the meats and vegetables of the particular “Gumbo” you are preparing. Regardless of what else goes into gumbo, Okra must be one of the ingredients or “it jist ain’t gumbo.”

INGREDIENTS
½         cup all purpose flour
½         cup olive oil or other cooking oil (eg, Canola)
2          cups low sodium chicken or homemade broth
1          tablespoon dry ground cumin
1          tablespoon dry sage
1          tablespoon paprika
1          teaspoon dry red pepper flakes
½         teaspoon Cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 ½      cups Arborio or other long grain rice
½         cup water

METHOD

In a large skillet, combine the oil and flour and mix to an even, smooth consistency. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Increase the heat to medium-high and continue cooking and stirring until the roux turns deep reddish brown.

Remove from the heat and slowly add the broth, stirring. Once all the broth has been added, add the spices and whisk them in. Add the rice and water. Return to a low heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. Every 5 to 6 minutes, uncover and stir the mixture, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. If it looks like the mixture is getting really dry, add water ¼ cup at a time, but do not over-water.

When the rice is finished and al dente, you can add the meats and vegetables to complete the gumbo recipe. This recipe will make gumbo for from 4 to 8 people, depending on what other ingredients are added.

Butter Bean Bacon Soup

INGREDIENTS
2          slices thick cut bacon or 4 slices thinner cut
1          medium onion, diced
1          cup sliced leeks, white and medium green parts
1          cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
½         cup diced roasted red bell pepper
1 ½      cups low sodium chicken broth
1          can (15 ounce) butter beans, rinsed and drained
1          teaspoon dried thyme
1          teaspoon dried tarragon

METHOD
Cut some of the meatier portions out of the bacon, chop to ¼ inch and set aside. Cut the remainder of the bacon into ½ inch squares and place into a medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes, and remove to paper towels to drain. Add the set-aside bacon meat to the pan and cook until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Set this aside on paper towels also, separate from the other portion.

Discard into the garbage all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add the onion, leek and celery and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are well softened. Add the first portion of bacon (large cut), the bell pepper, broth, butter beans and spices. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes to blend the flavors well. Working in batches if necessary, remove to a blender or food processor and process to a fine puree. Serve immediately in 4 ounce portions, adding a few bits of bacon as a garnish. Will provide 4 to 6 servings