The Sauced Chef

Sultan’s Delight

Makes 6 -8

1 deep pan with cover

1 small saucepan for puree

wooden spoon

spatula

fork

3 tbsp butter

2 onions finely chopped

2 lbs cubed lamb leg (can be shank as well)

2 garlic cloves minced

2 large green peppers seeded and chopped

2 large tomatoes seeded and chopped (I prefer roma)**

2 1/2 cups water, hot

1/2 tsp black peppercorns whole

2 tsp tomato paste

salt tt

Eggplant puree

5 oz  butter

3 tbsp flour

3 lbs eggplants

2 cups warm whole milk

4 heaping tbsp Ka-ar cheese or cheddar, grated

Nutmeg TT

S/P TT

1. Gently fry the onions in the butter until softened. Add the cubed meat and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionaly until the juice has evaporated.
2. Add the garlic, green pepper and diced tomato and cooked until the juice has evaporated and the tomatoes have softened.
3. Add the hot water, peppercorns, tomato paste and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about an hour, or until the meat is tender.
4. For the puree, melt the butter in a small saucepan and sprinkle the flour in until slightly colored, remove from heat.
5. Pierce the eggplant skins in several places and cook over a charcoal fire, gas flame or roast them in the oven until the flesh is tender.  It is important to get a char on the skin before roasting!
6. Holding the eggplant by the stalk, scrape away the skin, than cut off the stalk.
7. Add that mush to the flour/butter saucepan and mash it with fork
8. Place the saucepan over heat and cook gently, beating with a wooden spoon.  Gradually add the warm milk and salt/pepper.  When the mixture begins to bubble, remove from heat
9. Add the grated cheese and nutmeg, stir well.
10. When serving, put lamb mixture on plate first than make hollow in center to pour in the puree.

** On my upcoming web tv series “The Quest”, you will see some aspects of this dish made live! Please try to contain your excitement, saucies!

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Dancing Hush Puppies

Makes 6 -8

1 bowl

1 deep pan for frying

1 slated spoon

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon chopped finely chopped parsley (fresh)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 egg

1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or as needed)

1 medium onion, minced (your choice, I prefer vidalia)

3 cups oil or fat for deep frying

1. Pour fat in frying pan and heat to around 300 degrees***
2. Mix or sift (sifting optional) cornmeal, salt, cayenne, soda and flour
3. Add egg and buttermilk until its the right consistency to hold its shape when rolled into ball
4. Mix in onion
5. Roll into balls about 1 to 2 inches across and drop in frying liquid
6. Fry until deep brown and crispy
7. Drain on paper towel and serve hot

*** If you don’t have a thermometer at home, just make a small test hush puppy first.  It should immediately bubble and start turning deep brown.  You should only need about 1 to 2 minutes maximum per puppy

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Iberian Brushchetta with Chili Aioli

Serves 4

½  baguette sliced into ½ inch slices and toasted till firm

3 eggs

1 quart of water

1 cup of vinegar

1 white yam skinned and sliced thin (only need 3 pieces)

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 cup mayo

1 tbsp sricha chili paste

2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 linguica sausage (opened and made into 3 patties)

1 oz olive oil

S/P TT

1. In a large pot combine water and vinegar, bring to a boil than simmer gently, this is your poaching liquid
2. In a small pan add oil and sauté the sausage patties, seasoning with s/p if necessary, when done put on paper towled plate and set aside
3. In the same oil carmelize 3 white yam slices and place on toasted baguette slices
4. Place the sausage patty on top of the yam slices
5. Gently poach 3 eggs and place on top of sausage***
6. Combine cilantro (save some for garnish), mayo , garlic and sricha to make aioli
7. Smear brush on plate for pattern, garnish with cilantro

*** Poaching eggs is an art form.  First, make sure your poaching liquid contains some acid (vinegar, lemon juice, etc.) in it. Secondly, never crack your eggs directly over the poaching liquid! Crack them into a small bowl, then individual and gently slide the raw egg into the simmering liquid.  Doneness is determined by the cook, so figure out what you like and do it! Good luck. 

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This is Chef Will’s second recipe featured.  His mastery over comfort food is amazing! Impress your friends and get some delicious stew in their bellies before (or after) all the beer on St. Paddy’s day!

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Chef Will’s Lamb Stew

 
1 1/2 pounds thick sliced bacon, diced
6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
4 cups beef stock
2 teaspoons white sugar
4 cups diced carrots
2 large onions, cut into bite-size pieces
3 potatoes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup white wine 

1. Cook bacon over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
2. Put lamb, salt, pepper, and flour in large mixing bowl. Coat meat evenly. Brown meat in frying pan with bacon fat.
3. Place meat into stock pot (leave 1/4 cup of fat in frying pan). Add the garlic and yellow onion and saute till onion begins to become golden. Deglaze frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the garlic-onion mixture to the stock pot with bacon pieces, beef stock, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.**
4. Add carrots, onions, potatoes, thyme, and wine to pot. Reduce heat, and simmer covered for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
5. Enjoy!

 ** Deglazing means to get all the fatty goodness from a cooked surface.  To deglaze just add water and put over heat.  As the water gets hot, use a spatula to scrape any carmelization so it mixes in with the water. The pan should look almost clean when you pour the water out.

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 At the Sauced Chef blog, we like to feature hobby culinarians as well as professionals.  I couldn’t ignore this unique recipe that was sent to me by Dawn Louigie. Enjoy

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Bio (kinda):

TSC: Dawn, love your recipe… can you write a quick bio about yourself? I want to introduce you to the people before I publish it

Dawn: Sure………….
Well, we live on a farm and have 10 horses, we do a lot of camping in the summer and I do a lot of cooking in the winter!! love good old fashion home cooking as well as unique and different recipes. I have yet to find a recipe that I can actually follow without changing it and “making it my own”, LOL……..I should go on American Idol huh…(making it my own) ha ha

not much to tell other than that…………glad you liked the chicken pizza…………it’s different.

Recipe Comments: I use lots more cheese and I also add canned mushrooms to the chicken when I brown it.

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Dawn’s Spicy Garlic Chicken Pizza

Mama mia ready pizza crusts or Boboli crusts (they come 2 in a package
so i double this recipe)
12-16 oz. chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic minced
3T white vinegar
3T soy sauce
2T olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1T olive oil
1T corn starch
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded (I use more of both)
1/2 cup Monterrey jack cheese shredded
2T pine nuts or sliced almonds

1. Marinate chicken in bowl with half of the onions, garlic, vinegar, soy
   sauce, olive oil (2T), and pepper for at least a half hour (or overnight).
2. Drain chicken and reserve marinade.
3. Stir fry chicken in 1T olive oil till no longer pink.
4. Add corn starch to the remaining marinade and
   pour into skillet with chicken. Cook till thick and bubbly.
5. Spread over mama mia ready crusts and top with cheeses.
6. Bake 12 minutes at 400 degrees.
7. Remove and top with the rest of the green onions and
   sliced almonds. Bake for 2 minutes more…………
8. Enjoy!

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Walnut Crusted Salmon Steaks

food processor or blender

medium size baking pan (with a lip)

1 small bowl

1 small brush

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

2 salmon steaks (8 – 120z) or filets (sockeye perferred)

1 cup fresh walnuts

1/4 cup fresh parsley

2 vanilla wafers

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt TT

 Pepper TT

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine walnuts, parsley, vanilla wafers and cayenne pepper in food processor and thoroughly blend (until small and crumblike)
3. Taste the crust mixture and finish with salt/pepper to your saucy taste!
4. Beat egg and milk in small bowl to make an eggwash
5. Pour crust mixture on working surface or bowl (not the one you will bake in)
6. Have greased baking pan ready
7. Egg wash the salmon filets lightly with brush and throughly cover each one with crumb mixture and place in baking pan (be sure to use every last bit of crust mixture)
8. Bake in oven for 10 – 20 minutes or until salmon feels firm and begins to flake
9. Serve with rice and veggies for a healthy meal!

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Cucumber Cilantro Tater Salad

 2 or 3 potatoes of choice, cut into thin square wedges (Yukon gold)

2 cucumbers of your choice, peeled, cut into thin square wedges

8 oz capers

2 green onions diced

1 cup fresh cilantro

½ cup cilantro vinaigrette

½ cup greek yogurt or tzichi sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt TT

White Pepper TT

1. Boil potato WEDGES until al dente set aside to cool
2. In large bowl combine all ingredients except taters
3. Once taters are just warm, add them and mix thoroughly
4. Cover, refrigerate at least 3 hours and serve
5. Garnish with some fresh cilantro

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Sweet Potato and Apple Flambe

 4 sweet potatoes peeled cut crosswise into ½ inch slices

1 red delicious apple cored and sliced

1 green apple cored and sliced

¼ cup butter + 2 Tbsp

½ cup pure cane sugar

½ cup Jamaican or Belizean Rum

1. Sauté the potatoes in ¼ cup butter, turning to prevent sticking
2. When potatoes are starting to turn brown add the apples
3. When apples and potatoes are brown and tender, transfer to a chafing dish (or another saucepan) that has 2 tbsp butter already melted
4. Add the rum, tip the dish and ignite***
5. Baste the potatoes and apples in syrup
6.  Serve immediately

** Flambe can be dangerous, people! Make sure that you don’t stand directly over the pan, because the flames will rise pretty high. The key is to add the rum, tip the pan (only on a gas stove, use a long candle lighter on an electric stove) and watch the alcohol burn off.  Should be a short burst of flame (last 10 – 30 seconds).  Have fun, pyros!

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Coffee and Chai Venison Chops with Mincemeat Sauce

large saute pan

spatula and tongs

1/2 sheet pan

parchment paper (not 100% necessary)

various mise en place bowls

6-8 trimmed venison chops

1 cup honey powder

1/2 cup favorite ground coffee

1/4 cup chai tea leaves

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp ground cloves

2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cup of Sauce Lab #6: Meatless Mincemeat Sauce

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp peanut oil

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine coffee (set aside 1 tbsp for glaze) chai, salt, pepper, all purpose flour and ground cloves to make a flour rub or dredge for the chops.
3. Dredge chops in flour rub (make sure they are pretty dry first) and set aside.  Make sure every part of the chop is covered.
4. Add peanut oil and butter to hot sautee pan and sear the outside of the chops until a nice crust develops** (about 1-2 minutes on each side).  Set chops aside on sheet pan with parchment paper.  (If you don’t have parchment, just make sure the pan is greased)
5. Mix remaining coffee grounds and honey powder
6. Cover the tops of each chop with coffee and honey mixture
7. Cook in oven for about 5-7 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 143 degrees.  Make sure that the coffee and honey glaze thoroughly melts before taking it out
8. In the same pan used to saute the venison add the mincemeat sauce and chicken stock.  Reduce until desired consistency is reached. Finish with salt and pepper.  Finish again with any remaining coffee, chai or cloves to taste.
9. Serve it baby!

** Remember we are using coffee ground here people! Don’t think that your chop is burnt because it smells bitter and looks black.  You have to pay attention and feel the outside of the chop to make sure the crust develops.

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Butternut Squash and Green Onion Linguini

 Serves 4

Big Pot

Collander

Big Frying Pan

Some bowls or containers to hold reserved items

Whisk

Heat proof Spoon or spatula

1 box linguini noodles

1 bunch fresh green onions (trimmed and diced fine)

1 butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cubed)

1/4 cup FRESH minced parsley

1/4 cup FRESH chopped chives

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp fresh or rubbed sage

2 quarts chicken or veggie STOCK (not broth)

1-2 minced garlic cloves (depending on your garlic love)

2 cups of favorite cheese (shaved or shredded) (I used Manchego and Assiago)

3-4 tbsp unsalted butter

 S/P TT (this stands for Salt and Pepper To Taste) 

1. Start water boiling in the large pot (add a pinch of salt to water)**
2. When frying pan is hot (butter will sizzle) add squash and HALF the butter.  The goal is to get some nice carmelization on the squash, so don’t move it around too much in the pan.  Add more butter as the squash absorbs it.
3. Add pasta to now boiling water (let simmer until al dente)
4. Once pasta is al dente, drain into collander and rinse under cold water until pasta is room temperature.  Place back into pot with olive oil and set aside
5. Once squash is carmelized, remove from pan and set aside
6. In the same pan, (don’t drain it) add 1 quart of stock and the cheese.  Whisk continiously. Let the cheese melt into the stock (keep heat @ a simmer) and gradually add more stock as the mixture thickens to desired texture.***
7. Add the garlic, chives, sage and parsley to sauce. MAKE SURE to reserve some chives and parsley for garnish. 
8. Pour sauce into large container and set aside (get as much out as possible). 
9. Clean frying pan
10. Serving Note: You are cooking this pasta to order.  So, if you think your frying pan is big enough for sauteeing four servings go for it! Some people will only be able to do two servings at a time
11. In a hot frying pan add remaining butter.  Add squash and green onions for the # of servings your are doing. Let them sweat in butter for 30 seconds.  Spoon in desired sauce amount followed by desired pasta amount.  Sautee until pasta is hot and coated with sauce.  Add Salt and Pepper to taste.  Serve immediately and garnish with reserved chives and parsley.

** If you want to add extra flavor for extra cost. Use chicken or veg stock to boil the pasta in, instead of water.  Or, drop a chicken bullion cube in the water.

*** It is imperative that you add the cheese in small amounts so it emulsifies with the stock and doesn’t become one big cheesy plopper!

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