Recipe: Jambalaya

See the video: http://youtu.be/fVW9ftP4oR0

1/2 stick butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 to 5 stalks celery, sliced
5 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb okra
28 oz diced tomatoes
1 lb chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 lb shrimp (large, 25-30 count), peeled and deveined
1/2 lb smoked andouille sausage
2.5 tbsp cajun or creole seasoning, divided
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp cayanne pepper
4 bay leaves.
6 cups chicken stock (half held in reserve)
1 1/2 cups white long grain rice.

Combine chicken and shrimp with 2 tbsp creole seasoning, set aside.

In a very large pan, melt the butter. Add onion, celery, and green pepper. After a moment add garlic. When onion starts to look translucent, add okra. When celery and okra are soft and onion is translucent add tomatoes and seasonings. Allow to cook a moment and add rice. Stir to combine and add 3 cups chicken stock and bay leaves. Turn up the heat and allow to come to a gentle boil, stiring contantly. Reduce heat to medium and continue to stir until rice is almost done (10 to 15 minutes usually), adding additional stock if necessary. Add meat and cook until chicken and shrimp are done. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Pretzels

Video available at: http://youtu.be/KTGjIvGEU08

 

Ingredients
2 tbsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp softened butter
1 heaping tbsp salt
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups warm water
5 1/2 cups AP flour (divided roughly in half)

For soaking:
5 cups water
1/4 cup food grade lye.

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer except for the flour. Allow 15 minutes for the yeast to bloom. Add half of the flour and mix in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. (you can do this by hand too, but probably don't want to.) As the dough comes togater, slowly add the remaining flour. Once dough has come togather and has a smooth surface, allow to rise for 30 minutes (cover with a damp towel).

After the dough has risen, punch it down and transfer to a work surface. Using a pizza cutter, dough scraper, or other tool of your choosing, cut a strip of dough off and roll out until you have a two foot long strand. (If you have too little dough to get it that long, just make a smaller pretzel) Hold the dough at both ends so it forms a U shape. Make one full twist a little more than half way up and fole over to make a pretzel shap. Repeat until all dough has been used. (Hint: cover the ball of dough with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out) Allow to rise for 15 minutes on the counter and then move to the refridgerator for at least an hour. A longer time in the refridgerator will helf the yeast flavors more fully develop, but try not to wait more than 24 hours to proceed to the next step.

Done protective gloves and goggles. CAREFULLY add lye to the 5 cups of water in a non-reactive vessel and stir until completely disolved. Before baking, submerge pretzels one at a time for 30 seconds each. Apply salt or other seasoning and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. The lye will break down in the oven, yeilding safe to eat pretzels.

Yeilds 8 to 12 pretzels.

Recipe: Tzatziki Sauce

16 oz plain greek yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced fine
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill weed
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

Wrap diced cucumber in a paper towel or kitchen towel and gently press to drain excess liquid. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and fold togather. Allow to sit refridgerated for at least 2 hours before servering.

Know what you're serving it with? Try going all dill for fish, or all mint and substitute red wine vinegar for lemon juice with red meat. Also great on its own as a dip!

Recipe: Fish and Chips

For the chips:
4 potatoes

For the batter:
2 cups AP flour (gluten free: 2 cups rice flour)
1 tbsp baking powder (gluten free: also add .5 tbsp baking soda)
1 tsp salt
1 12 oz bottle of beer (gluten free: 1.5 cups club soda)

1.5 lbs firm flesh white fish (cod, tilapia, etc)

1 gallon of oil for frying (canola, peanut, corn, etc)

Make the batter by combining all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix to the consistency of pancake batter and refridgerate at least 15 minutes, but no more than an hour.

White the batter is chilling, make the chips. Cut potatoes into your favorite shape and soak in water to remove excess starch. Dry well and fry for 4 to 5 minutes in 325 degree oil. Work in small batches. After all fries have been cooked, crank the oil to 375 and refry to potatoes for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towles (or a brown paper bag) and hold in a warm over.

Cut fish into workable peices and coat in batter. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes in 350 degree oil, until crust is golden brown and fish has been cooked throuogh (will depend on what kind of fish and how much you fry at once)