Chef Dad

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Stuffed  Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Each Whole Chicken

½ Cup Goat Cheese

1/8 Cup Chopped Sun Dried Tomato

1 Tblp. Fresh Chopped Italian Parsley

1 Tblp. Fresh Chopped Basil

2 Each Andouille Sausages

½ Small Minced Red Onion

2 Cloves Minced Garlic

½ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1 Ounce Olive Oil

Salt And Pepper To Taste

Method:

Place whole chicken on cutting boards and using sharp knife remove breast and leg in one whole piece, keeping skin intact.

Place half chickens on platter and reserve.

On clean cutting board cut andouille sausage into medium dice

Place sausage into skillet with ½ oz.olive oil and cook until crisp

Remove from pan and sauté onions, garlic and sun dried tomato for 3 minutes

Add sausage back to pan and sauté for 1 minute.

Remove from pan and cool.

In medium bowl combine cooled sausage mixture with remaining ingredients

Season to taste with salt and pepper

How to Stuff the Chickens:

Lay half chickens on tray lined with paper towel. (paper towel helps secure chicken from sliding)

Evenly divide the filling between the two half chickens.

Roll half chickens into shape of log.

Very important to keep filling inside of chicken.

Tie half chickens with white cooking twine to retain shape.

Heat remaining olive oil in skillet and season chicken with salt and pepper.

Place in skillet and brown on all sides over medium high heat.

Place skillet into preheated 350 degree oven and roast until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees.

Remove from oven and allow resting for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve with either steamed green vegetables or small tossed salad.

“NOW THAT’S A SPICY MEATBALL”

Yield: 4-6 people

Ingredients for Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef from the chuck

1 lb. ground pork shoulder

1 lb. ground veal

5 cloves minced fresh garlic

½ tblp. red chili flake

1 tblp. chopped fresh oregano

2 tblp. chopped fresh basil

1 tblp. chopped fresh italian parsley

½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

6 slices of very good white bread (buy at the bakery)

½ cup half and half

salt and pepper to taste

2 oz e.v.o.o.

Marinara Sauce

2 large cans chopped tomatoes

1 small red onion

2 cloves minced garlic

3 tblp. fresh basil

2 small cans tomato juice

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place ground meats into large kitchen bowl

Add garlic, herbs, chili flake and cheese to mixture

Place bread on cutting board, remove crust and cut into large dice.

in separate bowl, combine bread and half and half and mix very well until meal consistency

Add to meat mixture.

Season to taste with salt and pepper

Form mixture evenly into meatballs

In large skillet heat oil and brown meatballs on all sides in batches if necessary.

When browned, remove from pan and place on plate lined with paper towel.

Add onions and garlic to pan that meatballs where browned in and saute over medium Heat until translucent.

Add tomatoes and juice and bring to simmer

Add meatballs to pan and cover

Place in 325 degree oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes

While baking, gently rotate meatballs in sauce

Remove from oven and season sauce with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve with your favorite cut of pasta. Enjoy!

An easy dessert recipe for those you love!

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Ingredients

20 oz Bittersweet Chocolate

16 ¼ oz Heavy Cream (1)

5 oz Sugar

5 oz Water

½ tsp. Cream of Tartar

16 ¼ oz Heavy Cream (2)

1 Tblsp. Vanilla Extract

¼ cup Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Method

Chop chocolate and place into stainless steel bowl

Bring large pot of water to simmer

Place bowl over pot and melt chocolate

In separate pot combine sugar and water and cook until caramel in color

Slowly add cream (1) and whisk together.

Add vanilla, Godiva

Combine caramel with melted chocolate in one bowl

Whip remaining heavy cream (2) with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form

Whip 1/3 of mixture into cooled chocolate/caramel mixture

Fold remaining heavy cream into mixture

Place mousse into shallow pan and cool overnight in refrigerator

Serve with warm fruit compote and toasted crumbled pecans.  Enjoy!

(more…)

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Ingredients:

4 large Idaho potatoes

1 lb.  ground chorizo sausage

½ bunch green scallions

¼ lb white cheddar cheese

¼ lb fresh goat cheese

½ gallon vegetable oil

Zest of ½ lemon

2 tblsp fresh chopped cilantro

How to prepare:

Wash and peel potatoes

Slice with either mandolin or sharp knife into 1/8” rounds. Reserve in bowl with cold water

Place ground chorizo in skillet and over medium heat cook for 3-4 minutes

Drain fat from meat and reserve

Chop scallions finely and reserve

Shred cheddar cheese and reserve

Allow goat cheese to come to room temperature

In large heavy bottom pot heat oil until 325 degrees

Drain potatoes from water and thoroughly dry with towel

Cook potatoes in oil in small batches until golden brown

Remove from oil and place on tray with paper towel

When all potatoes are cooked, layer in baking dish.

Evenly spread chorizo over potato.

Top with shredded cheddar, goat cheese, scallions, and lemon zest.

Place in oven under broiler until all the cheese in melted and gooey!

Garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy the game!

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3 cups cake flour

6 large eggs

1 lb. butter at room temperature

1 lb. sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

Zest of 3 oranges

Juices of 3 oranges

Preheat the oven to 325º.  Butter and lightly flour a 1-lb. cake pan and reserve.

Place orange juice into small pot and reduce till thicken to syrup consistency.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a stand mixer bowl. Stir in salt and the sugar. Add the butter and mix well. Add the whole eggs one at a time and allow to mix on slow speed before adding next egg.

Combine buttermilk, orange zest and vanilla extract. Slowly pour into mixer. After it is thoroughly mixed, turn the mixer up to medium for a few minutes, and then finally on high.

If the mixture is a little thick add just a touch more buttermilk. It is important that you don’t have any lumps

Pour the mix into pan and bake the cake for about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Keep looking at how your cake is doing through the oven window but avoid opening the oven door. This can cause cake to sink

Allow the cake to cool 15 or 20 minutes in the pan. Then gently remove the cake and place on serving dish. Spread orange syrup over top of cake and serve with fresh cream or ice cream.

Enjoy!

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1 lb. fresh white fish (snapper, grouper or flounder)

1/2 lb. rock shrimp

1/2 lb. bay scallops

5 cloves garlic

1 small red onion

1/2 red bell pepper

1 TBSP fresh cilantro

1 TBSP fresh mint

1 Serrano pepper

Zest and juice of 6 oranges

Zest and juice of 2 limes

1 oz. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut white fish into 1×1 chunks and reserve. Rinse and pat dry rock shrimp and bay scallops and then combine with white fish.

Slice red onion and garlic into very fine slivers and place in a separate bowl. Add finely diced red pepper. Add chopped cilantro and mint to bowl. Remove seeds and mince Serrano pepper. Add to bowl.

Add zest and juice of limes and oranges to bowl. Add olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour this mixture of seafood and mix gently. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Re-season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Note: Ceviche is best served with fresh fried corn tortilla chips, avocado and shredded romaine lettuce.

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1- 3 lb. piece chuck pot roast

1 large yellow onion

8 cloves garlic

2 large carrots

1 bulb fennel

1 stalk celery

2 bay leaves

5 black peppercorns

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

3 juniper berries

1 clove spike

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 oz. canola oil

2 cups red wine

3 cups veal stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the pot roast on cutting board and remove any exterior fat. Cut the roast into 2×2 inch chunks and place in large kitchen bowl. Season with onion powder, garlic powder and salt & pepper.

Wash, peel and rough chop yellow onion, carrot, fennel and celery and reserve.

Gather remaining ingredients in separate containers and reserve.

Heat a large cast iron pan or large wok for 5 minutes over high flame. Carefully add 1 oz. of the oil to pan. Add half of cubed meat to pan and sear on all sides until well browned.

Remove from pan and place on dish and repeat process with remaining meat. Reserve all browned meat on a dish.

Once all meat is well browned add vegetable to pan and caramelize vegetables in pan for 4 minutes. Add meat back to pan and sauté for 1 minute. Add red wine and spices to pan. Reduce red wine by half of the original volume. Place the mixture into crock-pot and add veal stock.

Cover crock-pot and set on high. Cook on high for 3 hours. Reduce setting to low and cook for 1 more hour. After one hour set crock pot to warm and prepare

Side dishes.

This dish is best served with mashed potato and sautéed spinach.

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Yields 4 portions

4-6 oz. boneless chicken breasts

2 TBSP fresh Italian parsley

1 TBSP fresh oregano, chopped

1 large shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBSP capers (soak in warm water to remove saline)

1 small tub crimini mushrooms

2 oz. fresh arugula, roughly chopped

2 oz. Marsala wine

3 oz. veal or brown chicken stock

2 TBSP butter

2 oz olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken breast on cutting board and cover with several layers of plastic wrap. Use a kitchen mallet to pound breast evenly until ¼” thick. Marinate chicken with Italian parsley and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In large skillet, heat 1 oz. Olive oil over high flame. Add chicken breast and sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes. You want golden brown color on chicken breast. Remove chicken from pan and reserve on plate.

Add shallot, garlic and remaining olive oil to the pan and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened. Deglaze with Marsala wine and reduce till thickened. Add stock and reduce by half its original volume. Add capers and arugula. Add butter and melt into sauce. Add chicken breasts back into sauce and reseason if necessary.

Serve with either roasted or mashed potato.

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4 lb. pork shoulder roast

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped into medium sized pieces

5 cloves garlic, peeled

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped

1 TBSP fresh thyme, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. red chili flake (optional)

3 medium carrots, washed, peeled and rough chopped

2 ribs celery, washed and cut into 1 inch pieces

8 new potatoes, washed and cut in half

3 TBSP Dijon mustard

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 can chopped tomato

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Season pork roast with salt and pepper and sear in the skillet on all sides until golden brown.

Place browned pork in crock-pot. Add vegetables, herbs, mustard, Worcestershire and stock. Cook over low to medium heat for 6-8 hours. When finished, remove pork and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with vegetables and sauce.

YIELDS:  Approximately 4 portions

“With a whole lotta love”

6 large eggs

4 oz. ground chorizo or pork sausage

1 large roma tomato, deseeded and chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 scallion minced

2 tsp. fresh chopped cilantro

1 tsp. roasted garlic

1 oz. half and half

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium kitchen bowl, crack open eggs and mix with half and half until completely combined. Reserve in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 325°. In a non-stick sauté pan place chorizo and over medium-low flame cook until rendered. Add scallions, roasted garlic and tomato. Sauté with chorizo for 1 minute until scallions wilt. Add eggs and cilantro and stir ingredients well. Cook over a medium low flame until eggs start to set. Add feta cheese on top and place in oven.

Cook until eggs have completely set, roughly 4-8 minutes. When frittata has cooked, remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve.

Serve with either hash brown potatoes or room temperature vegetables salsa.

“With not so much love”

6 large eggs

4 oz.  smoked turkey breast, julienned

1/4 cup shredded lowfat mozzarella cheese

1 TBSP fresh chopped basil

1 roma tomato

1 oz. skim milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Crack eggs and place in a medium kitchen bowl with skim milk and mix completely. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Pour into a non-stick skillet and place in preheated 325° oven for 5-10 minutes. Bake until eggs have completely set. Remove pan from oven and place frittata on a cutting board. Cut into quarters and serve with either fresh fruit or tossed salad.