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chicken in riesling

February 20, 2012
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I have been working on a big menu project for school at the FCI and it’s due next week. My theme? Eating in Your Underwear, of course.

A few days ago I had a day off from work and spent most of it cooped up in my apartment, cooking, researching and writing in hopes of wrapping up this assignment. I made a dish that my dad will prepare on the occasional Sunday; it is comforting and feels like, well, home. Chicken in Riesling is simple, unassuming and the type of dish I crave.

Perfect with a pair of undies and jelly jar filled with wine.

You’ll find the recipe here.

brown butter fried eggs

February 17, 2012
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My friend and classmate, Amanda, was recently helping me come up with brunch ideas. She introduced me to brown butter fried eggs.

This is my rendition:

In a pan, melt butter over medium-high heat and cook until it starts to brown. Maintaining the same heat, add finely chopped shallots to the butter and cook until they turn golden brown. Crack eggs into the pan and cook until the whites have set and the yolks are still runny. (I find it best to fry the eggs for a minute or two so that the edges become crispy, then place a cover over the pan, which traps air and steams the whites.) Sprinkle S & P and parsley over the top and eat, guiltily, in your underwear.

Amanda, I love you. But I also hate you.

super bowl chili

February 10, 2012
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As promised in this recent post, I prepared a mean chili for last weekend’s Super Bowl.

Start by rendering bacon in a bit of oil in a large pot. Once slightly crispy, remove the bacon, leaving the bacon fat in the pot, and set aside. Sweat chopped onions and garlic in the fat. (For a spicier version, add chopped jalapeños to the party at this point.)

Once the onions are translucent, add the spices and toast for 1-2 minutes: paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon and cocoa powder all made it into my chili. (Here is when you should deglaze with a bottle of beer and allow it to reduce, a step which I forgot.)

Now add ground beef and cook until it just loses its pink color, stirring often to break the meat apart. Pour in canned diced tomatoes, rinsed canned black beans and the reserved bacon and add enough chicken broth to cover.

Over low heat, strirring occasionally, cook the chili until the liquid has mostly evaporated, which, for me, took about two hours. Season with salt to taste.

 

linguine with shrimp

January 18, 2012
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I did it. I followed a recipe. And it’s one I wouldn’t have thought up on my own. Except I did make a couple of changes (does that still count?).

Instead of high-quality crab, which, let’s face it, I just cannot afford, I opted for shrimp. Both are delicate and mildly sweet and I thought the swap would be appropriate. And because I couldn’t find the chiles that were called for, I used regular old jalapenos. I stuck with lemon zest and juice, but looking back I think lime would work well with the chiles.

The combination of heat, tart, and sweet worked beautifully (yes, beautifully) with the creaminess of the sauce, which was made by combining a crap load (official term) of butter with pasta cooking liquid.

My S.S. said it tasted healthy. “Is it healthy?” No, I’m sorry. It’s not. Keep your pants on.

Though the flavors and ingredients remind me of summer, this is a surprisingly hearty pasta dish perfect for a chilly winter’s dinner. Click here for the recipe.

leftovers get the royal treatment

January 17, 2012
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If you read yesterday’s post, you’re aware that I have some serious leftovers in the fridge. It’s time to turn them into a brunch that’s fit for any restaurant menu.

Sweat chopped onions in oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic during the last minute of cooking. Meanwhile, dice leftover steak and potatoes into bite-size pieces, and then add them to the pan, cooking just long enough to warm through and give the potatoes a bit of color. Stir in leftover compound butter and chopped fresh parsley, and then create little holes (nests, if you will) in the hash.

Crack eggs into the nests, taking care not to break the yolks. Transfer the pan to a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven and bake until the whites of the eggs are set and the yolks remain runny. Garnish with more chopped parsley and serve.

This is a perfect brunch for those days that you plan on lounging around in your pajamas all day.