Monday, May 7, 2007

Cheddar and Beer Soup with Tempura Broccoli Florets

  • 4 ounces butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup minced onions
  • 1/4 cup minced celery
  • Salt
  • Cayenne
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle light beer
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated
  • Dash hot red pepper sauce
  • Tempura Broccoli Florets, recipe follows
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Tempura Broccoli Florets:
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 cup seltzer water
  • 8 fresh broccoli florets, blanched
  • Salt and cayenne

1. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 4 minutes to make a blond roux. Add the onions and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are wilted.
2. Stir in the beer and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the milk and cheese. Continue to cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and hot sauce.
3. Reduce the heat and keep warm. To serve, ladle the soup into each bowl. Garnish with the Tempura Florets and parsley.

Tempura Broccoli Florets:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, egg, and seltzer water. Mix well to make a smooth batter. Season with salt and cayenne. Dip each floret into the batter, shaking off any excess. Carefully add the battered broccoli to the oil and fry until crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

Serves 8

Thanks to Tarah

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Monday, April 23, 2007

Firehouse Chicken Stew

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 poblano or Anaheim peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 6 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 10 garlic, chopped
  • 6 large sprigs fresh thyme
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 2 12-ounce bottles brown ale, such as Newcastle
  • 4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1 pound okra, stemmed, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 12 cups canned low-sodium chicken stock
  • 2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes with their liquid, crushed
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels, (about 6 ears)
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken, and toss well to evenly coat. Heat 1/2 cup olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide 20-quart heavy-bottomed pot. Add half of the chicken, and brown, turning once, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a large bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to the pot and brown remaining chicken; transfer to the bowl and set aside.

Add the onions, peppers, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot, and season well with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add ale and bring to a simmer, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add potatoes, okra, chicken stock, tomatoes and their liquid, corn, and red pepper flakes, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add reserved chicken, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until vegetables and chicken are tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining 1/2 cup flour together with the milk until smooth. Stir mixture into the stew and return to a simmer. Cook until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Reseason with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve with a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

Serves 24.

Thanks to Vox

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Friday, April 13, 2007

Chef Leo’s Prime Rib Roast

  • 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
  • 1/3 cup orange marmalade
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mustard powder
  • 1 cup beer
  • 1 (8 pound) prime rib roast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Mix together the ginger, marmalade, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce, and mustard. Stir in the beer. Prick holes all over the roast with a 2 pronged fork. Pour marinade over roast. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, basting at least twice. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place roast on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour about 1 cup of marinade into the roasting pan, and discard remaining marinade. Pour olive oil over roast, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Insert a roasting thermometer into the middle of the roast, making sure that the thermometer does not touch any bone. Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil, and seal edges tightly around pan. Cook roast for 1 hour in the preheated oven. After the first hour, remove the aluminum foil. Baste, reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue roasting for 1 more hour. The thermometer reading should be at least 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium-rare, and 170 degrees F (76 degrees C) for well done. Remove roasting pan from oven, place aluminum foil over roast, and let rest for about 30 minutes before slicing.

Thanks to Chef Fatboy

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Saturday, February 3, 2007

First Down Fondue

  • 2 cups (8 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3 cups (12 ounces) colby-jack cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
  • 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • Dippers: Assorted breadsticks, bell pepper pieces, sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes

Toss cheeses with cornstarch in medium bowl; set aside.

Pour beer into fondue pot; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; add cheese mixture.

Cook 2 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Stir in hot sauce.

Keep fondue over low heat. Dip breadsticks and vegetables into fondue.

Makes 8 servings.

Thanks to OrganicAuthority.com

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Sunday, January 28, 2007

Michelada - a beer cocktail

  • 2 wedges fresh lime
  • Coarse salt
  • Ice cubes
  • 2 dashes Frank's® REDHOT® XTRA HOT Cayenne Pepper Sauce
  • 2 dashes French's® Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
  • 1 dash soy sauce (optional)
  • 12 ounce can beer
Rub the rim of a tall glass with 1 wedge of lime. Dip edge of glass into coarse salt. Fill glass with ice cubes.

Squeeze lime wedge over ice and splash Frank's Xtra Hot Sauce, Worcestershire and soy sauce into glass. Pour beer into glass and stir. Serve at once.

Thanks to zumfamily.blogspot.com

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