Recipes

I think it's safe to say that most Forum members would be flattered to fall under the label of "Renaissance Man."  Also, I think an important part of earning that label is having a little bit of knowledge about food.

   Soooo, following those two notions, I thought it might be nice to start a thread where members could post favorite recipes (ingredients, cooking instructions, servings, and all).  Of course, feel free to include any recipe -- not just your favorite -- for dishes that you enjoyed.

   I should also confess that this post will (hopefully) be self-serving, so I can have more than just pizza, Chinese delivery, and cafeteria food in my healthy college student diet.  I'll wait for some feedback before I post anything.

My latest favorite:

Cook lean ground turkey at high temp in a skillet. Season liberally with a hot spice blend - I'm currently using a Creole blend. When it's about half done, drain off the fat (just tilt the skillet and ladle it out with a spoon,) and add fresh sliced garlic. When it's about 3/4 done, add chipotle sauce and a touch of barbecue sauce to taste (I use a lot, but you might not like it so spicy.) Cover

Grate smoked cheddar, chop some fresh pineapple (or alternatively, fresh mango is just as good,) and either slice a fresh avacado, or prepare some guacamole (I just mash it with a bit of chipotle sauce, and some of the cajun seasoning.)

Heat a couple of tortilla's over a burner (I like the thick gordita style tortilla's,) when they are good and warm, add some of the turkey, smoked cheese, and pineapple and slip it into the broiler until the cheese melts. Let it cool a bit and add the sliced avacado or guacamole and some sour cream. Enjoy, it's killer..

Oh, and for you bachelors like me, if you cook a full package of turkey at a time, the second and third time around you can skip the first step, for a great meal, quick.

Linguine al Tonno
(Linguine with Tuna Sauce)

Makes 2 generous servings
Prep: 10-15 min.
Cooking: 15 min.

8 oz. linguine
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp. fennel seed, or more to taste
1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 standard can tuna, preferably oil-packed, well-drained
1 15-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, either chopped or pureed in a food processor
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
12 high-quality black olives, pitted and halved[*]
2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest, or more to taste
2 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped

- Set a large pot with at least 3 qts. of water to boil for the pasta.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Add garlic, fennel seed and pepper flakes. Be careful not to overheat -- garlic burns very easily. Saute, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until garlic is just beginning to change color (about 1-2 min.)
- Add tuna to the skillet and break up with the wooden spoon. If using water-packed tuna, be careful, it will spatter. Cook, stirring frequently, 2-3 min.
- Add tomatoes and stir thoroughly to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in olives. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to very low, cover and simmer 10 min.
- Assuming the water has boiled by now, add a liberal pinch of salt. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al-dente (tender but still firm to the bite) -- this will take about 8-10 min.
- Turn off heat and stir in the lemon zest into the tuna sauce.
- Drain the linguine well and put in a warmed serving bowl. Add sauce, toss to combine thoroughly and sprinkle with parlsey. Serve with good, crusty Italian or French bread.

Wine: a light, young red

[*] Do not use pre-pitted black olives that come in tin cans. Use high-quality black olives, such as Kalamata, that are sold either in glass jars or loose by weight. To pit olives, place them on a cutting board and press each one firmly with the side of a large knife. Then tear each one in half, remove and discard the pit.

Thanks for the interest, guys.  Here's my recent favorite. Eldorado Beef Casserole  1 pound ground round  1 Tablespoon minced onion (add more to taste)  1 tsp. garlic salt  2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce  1 cup sliced black olives  1 cup sour cream  1 cup small curd cottage cheese  4 whole canned chilies (to be chopped)  1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded  1 pkg. (medium size) tortilla chips   Brown meat (drain if necessary).  Add minced onion, garlic salt, and tomato sauce to meat.  Combine sour cream and cottage cheese with chilies.  Crush tortilla chips to cover bottom of well greased casserole dish 13 by 9 inches.  Add one-half of meat mixture, one-half cream cheese-chili mixture, one-half of the olives, and one-half of cheese.  Repeat.  Top with a few crushed chips if desired.   Set your oven to 350 degrees.  Should take about 30 minutes (no more than 35).

Navy -

There was a thread with recipes on here before, but I can't seem to find it now. I had posted a few recipes and tried a few that others had submitted.

Does anyone know what happened to that thread? There was a great recipe for Chicken Cacciatore on it.

Otherwise I'll have to dig out my recipe box again.

Bradford

J cleaned up some of the forums a few months ago because the site was running slow. Many of the older threads in forums other than Mens Clothing have been deleted.

Great idea, Navy. I'm off to work, but will post a few recipes when I get back.

Bradford,

I tried searching the Forum from the beginning for a recipe post, because I figured -- over the course of our history -- someone had to have started a thread, but I didn't find anything.

Chicken Cacciatore

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Mmmmmmmmm. Please do pull out your recipes.

Versace,

Thanks for clearing up why Bradford and I couldn't find what we wanted.

Bradford,

I think that recipe was mine (blush). Here it is again...

Brown some chicken over a medium-high heat. I use legs, but really whatever you like. Remove from pan and set aside.

Sautee some diced onions and mushrooms until they have a nice color. Return the chicken to the pan and add a jar of pasta sauce, some chicken broth, and spices. Rosemary, thyme, oregano work for me - but again, whatever you like. Always salt and pepper.

Turn down the heat and simmer for 45 mins to an hour, until the chicken is falling off the bone. Serve over pasta or rice.

For good measure, here's another, for pasta e fagiole (sp?):

Sautee some pancetta (bacon works) one rib of celery (diced), one medium onion (diced) and some fresh parsley in lots of olive oil. When golden brown, add water, two tablespoons of tomato paste, two cans of canellini beans, a sprig of fresh rosemary, a chopped clove of garlic and chopped thyme. Simmer for 20 min. Take half the soup and put it in a food processor and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot. Add your pasta (if using long pasta, break it up, if using tubular pasta, go crazy). Simmer for another 15 mins. Serve with chopped parsley and a bit of olive oil. Mangia.

A Fish Dish (no steamer needed): One scaled/gutted fish (something that has a nice firm white flesh) Ginger piece about 5cm X 10cm) chopped into matchstick pieces Garlic: Half ear, finely chopped Spring Onions: one bunch (approx. 4 sprigs) chopped into ringlets Soy sauce Ground Pepper Preparation: Preheat oven to about 240 degrees C. Wash and drain fish. Lay a piece of aluminium foil (large enough to fully cover the fish) over a SMOOTH surface (very important) and oil (to prevent fish sticking). Make 3 slits on each side of the fish (a la 'addidas&#39 Pepper the inside and outside of fish. Put the ginger pieces inside the fish and in the slits. Put some ginger in the center of the foil and lay the fish on it. Pour a small amount of soy sauce over the fish: approx: 3-4 tablespoons. Fold the foil so that it covers the fish: bring both sides (lengthwise)to the top and crimp it, then bring the ends (where the tail and head are) up and crimp. This has to be done properly so that the sauce does not pour out, nor the steam escape whilst cooking. Place on a baking dish/oven dish (if none, on the baking rack) Put in oven for about 30 minutes. When fish is almost cooked (i.e 5-10 mins away) place garlic in a heated frying pan with enough oil to cover the garlic. Cook until golden brown. Keep this hot because you have to pour over the fish. Take fish out of oven, carefully unwrap the fish and put it on a plate with all the sauce. Pour the hot oil and garlic over the fish Garnish with the chopped spring onions. A VERY TASTY AND HEALTHY DISH

A quickie that's good for when the boys are 'round for the game... 1 can chopped tomatoes, 1 spanish onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 chilli, dash of worcestershire sauce, penne pasta, parmesan for the table Boil the pasta in an open pan with lightly salted water. Whilst you're doing this, chop the onion and chilli, crush the garlic and drop them all into a frying pan with a touch of decent olive oil and a knob of butter. Add the can of tomatoes to the frying pan and simmer while the penne softens in the other pan. As soon as the pasta is ready drain it and drop it into the sauce. Add the worcester sauce and serve with some garlic bread and a couple of Nastro Azzuros Gaz -x-

All of this sounds very good, but just remember to start every meal with alfalfa sprouts.

Bradford,

I think that recipe was mine (blush). Here it is again...

Brown some chicken over a medium-high heat.

...rest of message deleted...

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Here's a Cacciatore recipe that's a little more detailed than PeterMetro's, with more precise proportions for the "scientific" cooks out there. I also find that braising in the oven, although it takes longer, makes for a much more tender chicken because it is very difficult to get the heat low enough on the stove top.



Pollo alla Cacciatora

Makes 4-6 servings.

Prep: 40 min.
Active cooking: 30 min.
Braising: 1.5 hrs.

- 2 Tbsp. + 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 chicken leg quarters, split into drumsticks and thighs and skinned
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 4 oz. mushrooms, preferably crimini, quartered
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 garlc cloves, peeled and finely diced
- 2 Tbsp. Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, preferably no-salt, pureed in a food processor, juice reserved
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, preferably low-salt, or water
- Salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- Small pinch of cayenne (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano or marjoram leaves, or 1 tsp. dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut cross-wise into thin strips

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large oven-proof casserole or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown well on all sides, about 5 min. per side. Work in batches if all of the chicken won't fit into the pot at once. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, mushrooms and carrot. Saute, stirring frequently, until golden-brown, about 5 min. Add garlic and parsley and saute until garlic is just beginning to change color, about 1 min. longer.
- Add the wine and turn the heat up to high. Boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge bits stuck to the bottom, until the wine is almost all evaporated, but not quite dry.
- Add the tomatoes, their juice and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat so it doesn't boil off too much while you're adding seasonings.
- Season with salt, pepper and cayenne, if using. Stir in oregano or marjoram and add bay leaf.
- Return chicken to the pot, cover, and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise about 1 hr., until chicken is very tender.
- Carefully remove pot from oven, uncover and stir in bell pepper strips. Cover again, return to oven, and braise another 30 min.
- Serve with rice (preferably risotto) or boiled potatoes, sprinkled with the basil strips

Wine: a hearty Italian red, such as Barbera, Sangiovese or even Chianti.

Comments:
- Skinning the chicken not only reduces the amount of fat, but makes it taste better, IMHO. When braised, the skin gets mushy and kind of gross. On the other hand, the fat that melts out of the skin does contribute to the flavor of the sauce, so experiment to see which method you prefer.
- Strictly speaking, only onion and garlic are absolutely required, but the more vegetables, the better the sauce.
- I like to use salt-free tomatoes and low-salt borth not so much out of concern for sodium intake, but because it gives me greated control over the flavor when I add seasonings. Feel free to use regular varieties, but keep in mind that if you use full-salt tomatoes and full-salt broth, you may not need to add any salt at all. Taste the sauce when it's done and adjust before serving.
- In Italy, a dish like this would not be served with pasta because pasta is always served as a first course, but of course feel free to do so if it's a combination of flavors and textures you enjoy.


Regards,
Tony

Here's a Cacciatore recipe that's a little more detailed than PeterMetro's, with more precise proportions for the "scientific" cooks out there.

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Yum - that sounds excellent. You're right: my recipe was what we like to call "quick and dirty", or something you can whip up without too much trouble. Unfortunately, I am forced to cook that way during the week - I generally get home late from work (8-9pm) tired and hungry. So it serves in a pinch.

On the weekends, however, I would be more inclined to try your recipe. Boy, those Italians know how to eat (along with virtually every other culture out there, apart from maybe the Irish).

apart from maybe the Irish).

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Yeah baby bring on the stew and Guiness But I think the English are worse.

haha. Â I was thinking the same thing at lunch. Â I am half Irish half German- basically my culinary heritage= beer+boiled potatoes.

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and maybe a little saurkraut and Bratwurst.