Welcome to week 1 of Sunday Cookin'! This week I'm trying to get rid of everything in the freezer until we go to Costco on the 11th (to use the coupons!). We typically buy our meats/fish/cheeses at Costco, then fill in the gaps with the local grocery store.
I'll break out the camera next week, but for now, imagine the sound and smells of my kitchen!
Seafood Gumbo
Adapted from Catfish Gumbo on WholeFoods.com
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 vidalia onion, chopped
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 ounces frozen cut okra
11 ounces frozen corn kernels
2 cups chicken broth or fish stock
2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 pound catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled with tail off
Method
Prep all the vegetables first by slicing the garlic, celery and chopping the peppers and onions. Set out the can opener, teaspoon, tablespoon, timer and your measuring cup. Ensure your fish and shrimp are thawed and seasoned with salt/pepper and cut the catfish into chunks.
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add garlic and sauté briefly, until lightly golden, then remove and set aside.
2. Add pepper, celery and onion to pot and cook, until softened, about 10 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir into vegetables until well coated.
4. Add sautéed garlic, tomatoes, okra, corn, stock, bay seasoning, thyme, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir well, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
If you're eating this right away, just before serving, stir in the fish and shrimp and cover. Cook, stirring gently occasionally, until fish is just cooked through.
If you're planning on eating this dish throughout the week, stir in the fish and shrimp, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Turn the heat off and prep your containers.
Bowtie Pasta with Beef and Mushroom Ragu
Adapted from Pappardelle With Beef and Mushroom Ragu in Real Simple Magazine
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces (We used frozen steaks we had on hand!)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 pound mushrooms (we used a mixture of button and cremini)sliced
1 box bowtie pasta
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown on all sides (don't cook them through!). Transfer to a plate.
2. Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute more.
3. Return the beef to the saucepan and add the chicken broth and tomatoes. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender, 60 to 75 minutes.
4. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes more. If the sauce is too thin, simmer, uncovered, until thickened to the desired consistency.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot. Add the beef ragù and Parmesan and toss. Serve with additional Parmesan.
Nut-Crusted Chicken Fingers
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders (or you can buy chicken tenders)
1 cup roughly chopped almonds (process in food processor until it resembles coarse meal)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
zest from 1 lemon, keep the lemon and cut it inot wedges
1 medium shallot, minced
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced ( I used the dried stuff!)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place back in the fridge while you prep.
2. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, swirling pan constantly, until butter turns golden, 4-5min. Add Shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add panko and nuts, cook another 10min. Transfer panko mixture to shallow dish and stir in lemon zest, thyme and cayenne.
3. Lightly beat eggs, mustard and black pepper together in another shallow dish. Place flour in a third shallow dish. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour, then coat with egg mixture. Coat all sides of chicken with the panko mixture, pressing gently to that crumbs adhere. Transfer breaded chicken to a clean baking sheet and repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Bake about 20-25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges!
Butternut Squash Fries
My own dang recipe!
1 medium butternut squash
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablspoon olive oil
salt
pepper
1. Peel the squash until you can see orange flesh (not yellow!). I like to use a vegetable peeler. Don't forget to the cut the ends off! Cut the dang thing in half and scoop out the seeds and discard.
2. Cut the squash into fries. I have all kinds of shapes, but the important thing to note is that they're all about the same thickness (doesn't matter how long the fries are).
3. Toss the fries in a bowl with oil, garlic powder, a few shakes/grinds of salt and pepper and any other savory spice you have in the cabinet that you like! I sometimes use poultry seasoning because the sage makes it taste like stuffing!
4. Bake at 375 in a shallow sheet pan for about 45 minutes. It's ready when it's fork tender and you can't stop stealing bites!
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