© Constantine William Spyrou
I love cooking with many different cuisines, especially when fusing them together into awesome, exciting creations that take dishes to another level. However, I do need to learn cuisines before I can incorporate them into my own fusion style. I decided to take on a challenge and cook a cuisine I normally don't cook and don't know that well. In this case, I decided to cook Indian food. I eat Indian food quite a bit, and I really enjoy the heat as well as the savory and really warm flavors that come out of Indian cuisine. One of the best ways to do this is to use a tandoori spice. I don't have a clay oven (which is how tandoori chicken and other proteins are made traditionally), but the flavor profile of this grilled shrimp should be pretty close! Served with a deliciously perfumed cardamom rice, this will be a great one to enjoy!
Recipe makes 6 servings.
For the Shrimp:
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon garan masala
1 tablespoon tandoor masala
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tablespoon dried mint
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
2 cloves minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons ground clove
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Salt and pepper to season
1/4 cup olive oil
Soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers for grilling
For the Rice:
4 cups uncooked basmati rice
6 star anise pods
6 pods of green cardamom
Salt and pepper to season
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Combine all of the spices for the shrimp and mix with the olive oil. Combine thoroughly with the shrimp and marinate for at least 2 hours. When ready to grill, place on metal skewers (don't place on more than 6 so its not overcrowded)
2. Wash and season the rice in a pot. Pierce open each of the star anise and cardamom pods, and add to the rice. Fill the pot with water just until its slightly over the rice. Bring up to a boil, and steam the rice for around 30 minutes or until its fork tender. Remove the cardamom and star anise, and fluff through with a fork.
3. Grill the shrimp for around 90 seconds per side or until thoroughly cooked. Serve the skewers over rice (take the skewers out and place the shrimp over in the row that they were in).
The shrimp will have a nice warm flavor, but stay bright as well thanks to the lemon juice helping and cutting through as well as the cilantro.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change! If you make it, tell me how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
Sunday, May 26, 2013
RESTAURANT REVIEW: Palo Alto Grill (Palo Alto, CA)
© Constantine William Spyrou
Website for this restaurant is located here.
Facebook page.
About the Restaurant:
This restaurant is extremely new, having only been open for just a month. The theme is essentially steakhouse, but there are many dishes across the menu with quite a bit of variety. Palo Alto Grill is located on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto.
First Impressions:
Walking into the restaurant, I immediately got an almost rustic feel to the place. The main color I could see across was black for the chairs and tables which was nicely contrasted by the bright yellow cloth napkins we were provided with. My family and I were sat close to the bar, which was nice because there were 2 TVs going with playoff games right there.
We were almost immediately provided with some bread- baguette slices, a nut bread of some kind, and some of their famous pretzel bread that they make in house! Looks like this:
It was really great pretzel bread, in my opinion. It was airy and chewy and soft, and it had a very reminiscent flavor to classic soft pretzels you could get on a cart. The bread also came with a horseradish dipping sauce, which went very well with all three kinds of the bread. The horseradish didn't overpower at all, but rather perfectly complemented the bread.
Appetizer:
My dad and I decided to split a grilled octopus appetizer. This was my very first time trying octopus, but I did know about the common mistakes people would make, usually overcooking the octopus so that it was rubbery. This octopus was not like that at all. It was perfectly tender and just melted in my mouth. It was served with some delicious fingerling potatoes and garnished with a pesto oil, fresh parsley, and preserved lemon (I actually guessed that it was preserved lemon in the dish and then checked their page and found out it was preserved lemon, awesome!) It was a very bright and acidic dish that perfectly helped out the flavor of the octopus.
Main Course:
I was able to try each of the dishes my family got, so I will describe how I felt about each of them here. My little sister got the "Turf n' Turf," which was a boneless ribeye topped with pastrami, onions, banana peppers, and a peppercorn sauce. The steak was cooked perfectly and melted. I was curious about the pastrami with the steak at first, but the extra saltiness from the pastrami combined with the peppercorn sauce and the steak really balanced out and made it an interesting dish. In addition to that, my little sister also had sundried tomato macaroni and cheese to go with her steak. The mac and cheese was really good! I loved the crispy cheese on the top the intensified the flavor. That went really well with the sundried tomatoes that just deepened the flavor of the mac and cheese.
Website for this restaurant is located here.
Facebook page.
About the Restaurant:
This restaurant is extremely new, having only been open for just a month. The theme is essentially steakhouse, but there are many dishes across the menu with quite a bit of variety. Palo Alto Grill is located on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto.
First Impressions:
Walking into the restaurant, I immediately got an almost rustic feel to the place. The main color I could see across was black for the chairs and tables which was nicely contrasted by the bright yellow cloth napkins we were provided with. My family and I were sat close to the bar, which was nice because there were 2 TVs going with playoff games right there.
We were almost immediately provided with some bread- baguette slices, a nut bread of some kind, and some of their famous pretzel bread that they make in house! Looks like this:
It was really great pretzel bread, in my opinion. It was airy and chewy and soft, and it had a very reminiscent flavor to classic soft pretzels you could get on a cart. The bread also came with a horseradish dipping sauce, which went very well with all three kinds of the bread. The horseradish didn't overpower at all, but rather perfectly complemented the bread.
Appetizer:
My dad and I decided to split a grilled octopus appetizer. This was my very first time trying octopus, but I did know about the common mistakes people would make, usually overcooking the octopus so that it was rubbery. This octopus was not like that at all. It was perfectly tender and just melted in my mouth. It was served with some delicious fingerling potatoes and garnished with a pesto oil, fresh parsley, and preserved lemon (I actually guessed that it was preserved lemon in the dish and then checked their page and found out it was preserved lemon, awesome!) It was a very bright and acidic dish that perfectly helped out the flavor of the octopus.
Main Course:
I was able to try each of the dishes my family got, so I will describe how I felt about each of them here. My little sister got the "Turf n' Turf," which was a boneless ribeye topped with pastrami, onions, banana peppers, and a peppercorn sauce. The steak was cooked perfectly and melted. I was curious about the pastrami with the steak at first, but the extra saltiness from the pastrami combined with the peppercorn sauce and the steak really balanced out and made it an interesting dish. In addition to that, my little sister also had sundried tomato macaroni and cheese to go with her steak. The mac and cheese was really good! I loved the crispy cheese on the top the intensified the flavor. That went really well with the sundried tomatoes that just deepened the flavor of the mac and cheese.
My dad got seared scallops with trout roe. Though I wasn't much of a fan of the trout roe, the scallops themselves were amazing and beautifully cooked. Definitely some of the best scallops I have ever tasted.
My mom and I both got duck with kombucha squash and kale. The duck itself was cooked very well and tasted very great. Each of the components of the dish also went well with the duck, from the sliced mandarins and sauteed kombucha squash adding nice notes of sweetness to complement the duck to the beautifully sauteed and tender kale. It also came with an interesting sauce that reminded me of the cider gravy my mom makes every now and then at Thanksgiving. Delicious!
Dessert:
My mom went for the blackberry tart with whipped mascarpone, lavender meringue sticks, and chamomile honey. I got to try a little, and it was great! The lavender meringue had an extremely intense sweetness to it that was offset by the mascarpone and tart. The blackberry was glazed with this wild honey that had a perfect balanced and made it deliciously sweet.
The rest of us all got the dessert special of the night: two green tea macarons with a coffee cream and chocolate tweel served with two tiny lime cheesecakes. Both were extremely good, but the cheesecake was definitely more memorable. I could taste extremely fresh lime from the zest and compote on top of the cheesecake that was way more intense than any other key lime pie I had ever tasted. Definitely one of my favorite desserts!
Overall:
Even though Palo Alto Grill is pretty new, they definitely know what they are doing, as they served up an amazing delicious meal for me and my family tonight! Definitely a place to come back to, because the food was unforgettable.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
NEW RECIPE: Fire Roasted Poblano Tamale
© Constantine William Spyrou
Mexican food is definitely one of my favorites to eat on a regular basis. It's got heat (a favorite for me) and plenty of citrus and cilantro, which are some of my favorite flavors. One of my favorite Mexican dishes has to be the tamale. The dense but delicious corn masa with whatever flavorings are inside just go together very well and make an amazing meal.
This dish is a cross between this amazing Mexican staple and another favorite of mine from Mexican restaurants: the chile relleno. Traditionally, chile rellenos are cheese-stuffed poblano chiles covered with a frothy egg white batter and deep fried. While this tamale won't have the deep fried crunch aspect, it has all of the great flavors of the chile relleno inside the tamale. With this made from scratch masa recipe, it will be great!
Recipe will make probably around 10 tamales.
For the Masa/Corn Husks:
10 corn husks soaked in warm water until needed
6 cups water
5 tablespoons vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Mexican Oregano (you can use other Oregano, but it is much milder than the Mexican.)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups organic field corn (Co-ops carry these, there's also a retail brand called Azure Standard that's best)
2 tablespoons food quality cal lime (Mexican food stores and markets will carry this)
For the Filling:
4 poblano chilies
1 1/2 cups shredded jack cheese
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to season
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Rinse the corn. In a pot, gently heat the water and stir in the cal lime until all of it is dissolved.
2. Add the corn, and bring the water to a boil slowly. Once it's at a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit overnight.
3. Drain the corn, and soak in fresh water. Rub the corn while rinsing it and pouring off any skins that come off for about 5-6 minutes. You don't need all of the skins to come off, so don't worry if that doesn't happen.
4. Place into the food processor, and add the Mexican oregano, chili powder, black pepper, vegetable stock, and salt. Pulse the mixture until it is smooth and shapeable. Set the masa aside.
5. Turn a burner onto high heat. Place the poblanos on the heat one at a time until blackened on all sides. Take them off the heat, and remove the skins using a plastic bag and rubbing technique. Finely dice up the poblanos, and mix in the jack cheese and the eggs in a bowl until combined well. Season and mix one more time.
6. Take the corn husks and flatten them out. Place a healthy spoonful of your poblano mixture into the center, and spread it evenly across the corn husk. Fold and wrap the husk into a oblong shape, and tie it with extra strips of wet corn husk or wet string.
7. When all of the tamales are made, place them in a steamer (or a pot with a small amount of water that is separate from the tamales at a boil) and steam for about an hour. They should come out with tender but firm masa and melted jack cheese.
The masa recipe is complex and takes a long time, but having your own fresh masa is worth it and can be used to make tortillas, pupusas, and many more great Mexican dishes!
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make the recipe, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
Mexican food is definitely one of my favorites to eat on a regular basis. It's got heat (a favorite for me) and plenty of citrus and cilantro, which are some of my favorite flavors. One of my favorite Mexican dishes has to be the tamale. The dense but delicious corn masa with whatever flavorings are inside just go together very well and make an amazing meal.
This dish is a cross between this amazing Mexican staple and another favorite of mine from Mexican restaurants: the chile relleno. Traditionally, chile rellenos are cheese-stuffed poblano chiles covered with a frothy egg white batter and deep fried. While this tamale won't have the deep fried crunch aspect, it has all of the great flavors of the chile relleno inside the tamale. With this made from scratch masa recipe, it will be great!
Recipe will make probably around 10 tamales.
For the Masa/Corn Husks:
10 corn husks soaked in warm water until needed
6 cups water
5 tablespoons vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Mexican Oregano (you can use other Oregano, but it is much milder than the Mexican.)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups organic field corn (Co-ops carry these, there's also a retail brand called Azure Standard that's best)
2 tablespoons food quality cal lime (Mexican food stores and markets will carry this)
For the Filling:
4 poblano chilies
1 1/2 cups shredded jack cheese
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to season
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Rinse the corn. In a pot, gently heat the water and stir in the cal lime until all of it is dissolved.
2. Add the corn, and bring the water to a boil slowly. Once it's at a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit overnight.
3. Drain the corn, and soak in fresh water. Rub the corn while rinsing it and pouring off any skins that come off for about 5-6 minutes. You don't need all of the skins to come off, so don't worry if that doesn't happen.
4. Place into the food processor, and add the Mexican oregano, chili powder, black pepper, vegetable stock, and salt. Pulse the mixture until it is smooth and shapeable. Set the masa aside.
5. Turn a burner onto high heat. Place the poblanos on the heat one at a time until blackened on all sides. Take them off the heat, and remove the skins using a plastic bag and rubbing technique. Finely dice up the poblanos, and mix in the jack cheese and the eggs in a bowl until combined well. Season and mix one more time.
6. Take the corn husks and flatten them out. Place a healthy spoonful of your poblano mixture into the center, and spread it evenly across the corn husk. Fold and wrap the husk into a oblong shape, and tie it with extra strips of wet corn husk or wet string.
7. When all of the tamales are made, place them in a steamer (or a pot with a small amount of water that is separate from the tamales at a boil) and steam for about an hour. They should come out with tender but firm masa and melted jack cheese.
The masa recipe is complex and takes a long time, but having your own fresh masa is worth it and can be used to make tortillas, pupusas, and many more great Mexican dishes!
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make the recipe, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
Saturday, May 18, 2013
NEW RECIPE: Quick Asian Breakfast Frittata in a Cup
© Constantine William Spyrou
A lot of times, breakfast is just something we grab that takes a couple of minutes to toast or zap in a microwave and is ready to go. However, breakfast, even when under pressured time, can still be really delicious and healthy for you. You can even make your own breakfast on the go with the proper preparation! All it takes is an extra 30 seconds to a minute the night before to get everything ready, then you can immediately get to work on making your breakfast!
This Frittata in a Cup is very Asian inspired and will take no more than 5 minutes to make the morning of. Perfect for when in a rush and with fresh and delicious flavors, this will be a keeper for those on the go!
Recipe requested by Calvin Kim.
Recipe will make one frittata.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons diced dried Chinese sausage
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
White pepper to season
1 whole egg
1 tablespoon diced bell peppers
Prep/Cooking:
1. The night before, get your green onion and Chinese sausage diced and into the fridge, ready to go in the morning.
2. In the morning, place the Chinese sausage in the microwave for 30 seconds to crisp up. Crack the egg into a cup and beat well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
3. The egg will take no more than a minute and a half to cook in the microwave. Get your spoon, and enjoy!
Adding in that little extra prep time at night helps because it's nice to have everything just ready to go in the morning so you can take less time cooking and prepping and get to work or class quickly.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it, tell me how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
A lot of times, breakfast is just something we grab that takes a couple of minutes to toast or zap in a microwave and is ready to go. However, breakfast, even when under pressured time, can still be really delicious and healthy for you. You can even make your own breakfast on the go with the proper preparation! All it takes is an extra 30 seconds to a minute the night before to get everything ready, then you can immediately get to work on making your breakfast!
This Frittata in a Cup is very Asian inspired and will take no more than 5 minutes to make the morning of. Perfect for when in a rush and with fresh and delicious flavors, this will be a keeper for those on the go!
Recipe requested by Calvin Kim.
Recipe will make one frittata.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons diced dried Chinese sausage
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
White pepper to season
1 whole egg
1 tablespoon diced bell peppers
Prep/Cooking:
1. The night before, get your green onion and Chinese sausage diced and into the fridge, ready to go in the morning.
2. In the morning, place the Chinese sausage in the microwave for 30 seconds to crisp up. Crack the egg into a cup and beat well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
3. The egg will take no more than a minute and a half to cook in the microwave. Get your spoon, and enjoy!
Adding in that little extra prep time at night helps because it's nice to have everything just ready to go in the morning so you can take less time cooking and prepping and get to work or class quickly.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it, tell me how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
Thursday, May 16, 2013
PAST RECIPE: Lemongrass Chicken Crepe
© Constantine William Spyrou
A lot of the past recipes I post come from when I took a culinary class in high school. I learned a lot about cooking from that class and it's really where my foundation came from and how I was able to turn a love for food into real cooking. I've watched shows like Iron Chef, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Hell's Kitchen, and the like every since I was a little kid, and I always wanted to try cooking for real and making masterful dishes. They may not be fine dining caliber yet, but I think that so far, they have impressed!
This dish came about as our first semester final for the culinary class. We had to transform cooking methods and techniques we had learned into a dish. We could utilize baking, mixing techniques (for muffins, pancakes, cookies, etc.), sauces, and soups. Our group decided to go with a sauce and mixing technique, and came up with this savory crepe as a result. The chicken itself was amazing and the crepe was delicious, but we did have one roadblock. At the time, I had no clue how to reduce something to thicken it, and we wanted to make a reduced lemongrass basil sauce to garnish the crepe with. We make a whole pot of the sauce, and I put the lid on, which meant that the sauce wouldn't reduce and everything would just boil. We ended up with a lot of extra sauce that day, but it was a good and fun learning experience!
Anyhow, this crepe dish is a blend of Thai and French, with a savory crepe going perfectly to balance out the heat and bold flavors of the marinated chicken. With a rich thick sauce to complement it, this is one recipe I'm glad I came up with in high school- even with a messed up sauce!
Recipe will make around 20 crepes.
For the Chicken:
5 pounds diced chicken breast
3 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 1/4 cup chopped and bruised lemongrass
1/4 cup sriracha
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp dried mint
2 tbsp white pepper
Salt and pepper to season
For the Sauce:
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup chopped/bruised lemongrass
For the Crepes:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 stick of butter to coat the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup blend of minced green onion and finely chopped cilantro
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients together and rub into the chicken breast. Leave it to marinate overnight.
2. To make the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a food processor. Blend, the bring to a boil in a sauce pan and let reduce by about a third.
3. Combine all of the crepe ingredients together in a food processor. Blend, then strain through a sieve. Butter a pan, and put a small ladle of the crepe batter in, keeping it extremely thin. Cook for thirty seconds, flip, cook for another 15 seconds, then take it off of the pan. Rebutter the pan each time you make a crepe!
4. Cook the cubed chicken pieces on high heat with canola oil for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until fully cooked.
5. In each crepe, add a few pieces of the chicken (about a quarter pound so you get an even 20 crepes) on the crepe. Fold the crepe up, and drizzle a small amount of the sauce over the top.
This recipe was one of my favorites, since I really love Thai-style cooking and lemongrass. Crepes are also incredibly delicious, and add a nice rich balance out to the overall dish.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think of it, and what you would change. If you make it, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
A lot of the past recipes I post come from when I took a culinary class in high school. I learned a lot about cooking from that class and it's really where my foundation came from and how I was able to turn a love for food into real cooking. I've watched shows like Iron Chef, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Hell's Kitchen, and the like every since I was a little kid, and I always wanted to try cooking for real and making masterful dishes. They may not be fine dining caliber yet, but I think that so far, they have impressed!
This dish came about as our first semester final for the culinary class. We had to transform cooking methods and techniques we had learned into a dish. We could utilize baking, mixing techniques (for muffins, pancakes, cookies, etc.), sauces, and soups. Our group decided to go with a sauce and mixing technique, and came up with this savory crepe as a result. The chicken itself was amazing and the crepe was delicious, but we did have one roadblock. At the time, I had no clue how to reduce something to thicken it, and we wanted to make a reduced lemongrass basil sauce to garnish the crepe with. We make a whole pot of the sauce, and I put the lid on, which meant that the sauce wouldn't reduce and everything would just boil. We ended up with a lot of extra sauce that day, but it was a good and fun learning experience!
Anyhow, this crepe dish is a blend of Thai and French, with a savory crepe going perfectly to balance out the heat and bold flavors of the marinated chicken. With a rich thick sauce to complement it, this is one recipe I'm glad I came up with in high school- even with a messed up sauce!
Recipe will make around 20 crepes.
For the Chicken:
5 pounds diced chicken breast
3 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 1/4 cup chopped and bruised lemongrass
1/4 cup sriracha
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp turmeric
2 tbsp dried mint
2 tbsp white pepper
Salt and pepper to season
For the Sauce:
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
3 tsp dried basil
1/4 cup chopped/bruised lemongrass
For the Crepes:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 stick of butter to coat the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup blend of minced green onion and finely chopped cilantro
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients together and rub into the chicken breast. Leave it to marinate overnight.
2. To make the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a food processor. Blend, the bring to a boil in a sauce pan and let reduce by about a third.
3. Combine all of the crepe ingredients together in a food processor. Blend, then strain through a sieve. Butter a pan, and put a small ladle of the crepe batter in, keeping it extremely thin. Cook for thirty seconds, flip, cook for another 15 seconds, then take it off of the pan. Rebutter the pan each time you make a crepe!
4. Cook the cubed chicken pieces on high heat with canola oil for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until fully cooked.
5. In each crepe, add a few pieces of the chicken (about a quarter pound so you get an even 20 crepes) on the crepe. Fold the crepe up, and drizzle a small amount of the sauce over the top.
This recipe was one of my favorites, since I really love Thai-style cooking and lemongrass. Crepes are also incredibly delicious, and add a nice rich balance out to the overall dish.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think of it, and what you would change. If you make it, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
NEW RECIPE: Coq Au Vin with Fresh Pappardelle
© Constantine William Spyrou
If there's one cuisine that is very difficult for me to wrap my head around, it's French food. The main reason I find myself struggling with it is that every region in France has its own way of making dishes ranging from escargot to bouillabaise. There's no true defined way to do any dishes. There's also the complexity and richness of many French dishes that is hard to master, as the French love to create complex dishes utilizing tougher meats such as tripe and snails. However, coq au vin, a classic braised chicken dish, is one of the few French dishes I know how to make and can master.
This coq au vin is, which you should expect with me by now, a fusion-style of this French classic. It gets ramped up with some great flavors coming in from a classic Italian Puttannesca sauce that just adds some great heat and level of flavor from the spice, tomatoes, and capers that just take the dish to the next level.
This dish also gets an Italian spin in that instead of being served with rice or potatoes, its served atop a bed of fresh pappardelle noodles that I'll be making a recipe from scratch with! It will be mixed in with a delicious sauce made from the braising liquid of the coq au vin with something special! Check it out!
Recipe will serve 8 people.
For the Pappardelle:
3 whole eggs
3 cups flour (all-purpose can work, but a blend of semolina and all-purpose is my go-to mix for this)
1 teaspoon salt for the dough, 2 tablespoons salt for the water
1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons olive oil for the water
1 gallon of water for the pot
1/3 cup water for the dough (you might need more, so keep it off to the side)
For the Coq Au Vin:
2 whole chickens, quartered (each chicken should weigh around 3 to 4 pounds).
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 white onions, sliced
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
2 cups chopped Button Mushrooms
1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes (Roma work best for this)
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped black olives (Kalamatas are the best for this)
1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes
2 bottles Burgundy Red Wine
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups vegetable stock
4 Bay Leaves
4 pods of star anise, broken
6 Juniper Berries
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to season
For the Sauce:
3 minced garlic cloves
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and Pepper to Season
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Season the quartered chickens on all sides. Place in a container, and pour the wine and chopped parsley over the top of the chicken. Marinate overnight.
2. In a large saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear the marinated chicken on all sides, which should take about 10 minutes total. Once it's flipped, get a cheesecloth or other bouqet garnit assembly and place in it the juniper berries, star anise, and the bay leaves.
3. Take the chicken out of the pan, and add in the minced garlic, onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and leeks. Season the vegetables, and let them soften, about 5 minutes.
4. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock. Return the chicken to the pot, and add in the vegetable stock and the red wine with parsley that you marinated the chicken in. Add the tomatoes, black olives, chili flakes, capers, and the rosemary and thyme sprigs to the pot. Mix, and let the chicken simmer covered for up to 2 hours.
5. As the chicken simmers, make your pasta. Place all of your flour onto a board, then create a well in the center. Add the olive oil, water, eggs, and salt to the well. Use a fork to lightly beat the eggs, then slowly add flour into the well until it begins to form a dough. Gradually add more flour until all of the dough is combined. Roll this up into a ball and let it rest for up to 30 minutes.
6. Cut your pasta dough into 4 portions after it has rested. Roll each of these out to as thin as you can, and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips of pappardelle. Bring the gallon of water up to the boil, and add the salt and olive oil to the pot. When the chicken is ready to go, drop the pasta in. It literally won't take more than a minute to reach al dente since its fresh pasta.
7. In a hot frying pan or other pan, add some olive oil. Add the 3 cloves of minced garlic, and transfer at least 2 cups of the braising liquid from the coq au vin (make sure to get some of the vegetables in there!) to the pan. Add the chicken stock and heavy cream, and mix in your oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Season, and bring up to a boil. Reduce the sauce to about 2/3rds of its original volume.
8. When the pasta is cooked, drain it then mix it into the sauce in a serving dish. Serve the chicken quarters on the side. To plate, place a nest of pasta on the bottom of the plate and let the chicken rest over the top. If you wish, add a small amount of the braising liquid to each plate as well.
Coq Au Vin is a very rich and delicious dish that pairs perfectly with pasta and a rich sauce, which is what happens in this recipe. I hope this French-Italian fusion works well for you!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think of it and what you would change. If you make it, tell me how it turned out! Enjoy! =)
If there's one cuisine that is very difficult for me to wrap my head around, it's French food. The main reason I find myself struggling with it is that every region in France has its own way of making dishes ranging from escargot to bouillabaise. There's no true defined way to do any dishes. There's also the complexity and richness of many French dishes that is hard to master, as the French love to create complex dishes utilizing tougher meats such as tripe and snails. However, coq au vin, a classic braised chicken dish, is one of the few French dishes I know how to make and can master.
This coq au vin is, which you should expect with me by now, a fusion-style of this French classic. It gets ramped up with some great flavors coming in from a classic Italian Puttannesca sauce that just adds some great heat and level of flavor from the spice, tomatoes, and capers that just take the dish to the next level.
This dish also gets an Italian spin in that instead of being served with rice or potatoes, its served atop a bed of fresh pappardelle noodles that I'll be making a recipe from scratch with! It will be mixed in with a delicious sauce made from the braising liquid of the coq au vin with something special! Check it out!
Recipe will serve 8 people.
For the Pappardelle:
3 whole eggs
3 cups flour (all-purpose can work, but a blend of semolina and all-purpose is my go-to mix for this)
1 teaspoon salt for the dough, 2 tablespoons salt for the water
1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons olive oil for the water
1 gallon of water for the pot
1/3 cup water for the dough (you might need more, so keep it off to the side)
For the Coq Au Vin:
2 whole chickens, quartered (each chicken should weigh around 3 to 4 pounds).
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 white onions, sliced
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
2 cups chopped Button Mushrooms
1 cup fresh chopped tomatoes (Roma work best for this)
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped black olives (Kalamatas are the best for this)
1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes
2 bottles Burgundy Red Wine
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups vegetable stock
4 Bay Leaves
4 pods of star anise, broken
6 Juniper Berries
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to season
For the Sauce:
3 minced garlic cloves
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and Pepper to Season
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Season the quartered chickens on all sides. Place in a container, and pour the wine and chopped parsley over the top of the chicken. Marinate overnight.
2. In a large saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear the marinated chicken on all sides, which should take about 10 minutes total. Once it's flipped, get a cheesecloth or other bouqet garnit assembly and place in it the juniper berries, star anise, and the bay leaves.
3. Take the chicken out of the pan, and add in the minced garlic, onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and leeks. Season the vegetables, and let them soften, about 5 minutes.
4. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock. Return the chicken to the pot, and add in the vegetable stock and the red wine with parsley that you marinated the chicken in. Add the tomatoes, black olives, chili flakes, capers, and the rosemary and thyme sprigs to the pot. Mix, and let the chicken simmer covered for up to 2 hours.
5. As the chicken simmers, make your pasta. Place all of your flour onto a board, then create a well in the center. Add the olive oil, water, eggs, and salt to the well. Use a fork to lightly beat the eggs, then slowly add flour into the well until it begins to form a dough. Gradually add more flour until all of the dough is combined. Roll this up into a ball and let it rest for up to 30 minutes.
6. Cut your pasta dough into 4 portions after it has rested. Roll each of these out to as thin as you can, and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips of pappardelle. Bring the gallon of water up to the boil, and add the salt and olive oil to the pot. When the chicken is ready to go, drop the pasta in. It literally won't take more than a minute to reach al dente since its fresh pasta.
7. In a hot frying pan or other pan, add some olive oil. Add the 3 cloves of minced garlic, and transfer at least 2 cups of the braising liquid from the coq au vin (make sure to get some of the vegetables in there!) to the pan. Add the chicken stock and heavy cream, and mix in your oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Season, and bring up to a boil. Reduce the sauce to about 2/3rds of its original volume.
8. When the pasta is cooked, drain it then mix it into the sauce in a serving dish. Serve the chicken quarters on the side. To plate, place a nest of pasta on the bottom of the plate and let the chicken rest over the top. If you wish, add a small amount of the braising liquid to each plate as well.
Coq Au Vin is a very rich and delicious dish that pairs perfectly with pasta and a rich sauce, which is what happens in this recipe. I hope this French-Italian fusion works well for you!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think of it and what you would change. If you make it, tell me how it turned out! Enjoy! =)
Monday, May 13, 2013
NEW RECIPE: Thai Poached Shrimp Ceviche
© Constantine William Spyrou
Ceviches are one of my favorite appetizers to eat. These salads consist of a great blend of citrus, spice, and flavor mixed in with the texture of usually raw seafood (but you don't want to eat raw shrimp!) and refresh you at the start of a meal. Traditionally served with tostones, or fried plantain chips, you can serve them with anything you like, from a crusty bread to crisp tortilla chips and a whole lot more!
This shrimp ceviche has lightly poached shrimp so that they are cooked but still have a great texture feel that contributes to the dish. The shrimp are cooked in what is known as a "court bouillon", and is great for lightly poaching shrimp or fish. If you make enough shrimp in the broth and add the shrimp shells afterward, you can make an amazing shrimp stock out of your leftover bouillon that goes well with tons of seafood and Cajun dishes.
The ceviche also has a great balance of sweet, roast, and heat with chili, pan-roasted corn, and plenty of other flavors to make the dish sing!
Recipe will serve up to 4 people.
Ingredients:
16-20 jumbo shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined (save the shells to make stock if you wish)
1 cup yellow corn
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/4 cup diced cucumbers
1/4 cup diced avocado
1/4 cup diced tomato
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 sprigs Thai Basil
1/4 cup Kaffir Lime leaves
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Thai chilies, finely diced
1/2 gallon water
1 ginger bulb, chopped
1/2 cup chopped lemongrass
8 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 limes, sliced
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper corns
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
Cooking/Assembling:
1. In a pot, add the water, ginger bulb, chopped lemongrass, pepper corns, some salt, the sliced limes, garlic cloves, Kaffir lime leaves, and Thai Basil. Bring the water to a boil, then immediately bring down to a simmer. When the water stops rolling, drop in the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
2. In a frying pan, roast the corn with some olive oil, salt, and pepper until it gets a nice char color on the outside, about 3-4 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, water chestnuts, Thai chilies, green onions, cilantro, corn, and shrimp. Mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper, the turmeric, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime zest and juice, and the avocado, and lightly mix to combine. Be careful to not break up the avocado too much!
4. Serve with your choice of tostones, chips, or something else that you think would go well with the ceviche.
This is super simple to make despite the long list of ingredients, and the stock is amazing to keep for a great flavor and can be used in many other dishes that you would like to make. It's fresh and delicious!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think of it and what you would differently. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
Ceviches are one of my favorite appetizers to eat. These salads consist of a great blend of citrus, spice, and flavor mixed in with the texture of usually raw seafood (but you don't want to eat raw shrimp!) and refresh you at the start of a meal. Traditionally served with tostones, or fried plantain chips, you can serve them with anything you like, from a crusty bread to crisp tortilla chips and a whole lot more!
This shrimp ceviche has lightly poached shrimp so that they are cooked but still have a great texture feel that contributes to the dish. The shrimp are cooked in what is known as a "court bouillon", and is great for lightly poaching shrimp or fish. If you make enough shrimp in the broth and add the shrimp shells afterward, you can make an amazing shrimp stock out of your leftover bouillon that goes well with tons of seafood and Cajun dishes.
The ceviche also has a great balance of sweet, roast, and heat with chili, pan-roasted corn, and plenty of other flavors to make the dish sing!
Recipe will serve up to 4 people.
Ingredients:
16-20 jumbo shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined (save the shells to make stock if you wish)
1 cup yellow corn
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/4 cup diced cucumbers
1/4 cup diced avocado
1/4 cup diced tomato
Juice and zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 sprigs Thai Basil
1/4 cup Kaffir Lime leaves
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Thai chilies, finely diced
1/2 gallon water
1 ginger bulb, chopped
1/2 cup chopped lemongrass
8 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 limes, sliced
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper corns
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
Cooking/Assembling:
1. In a pot, add the water, ginger bulb, chopped lemongrass, pepper corns, some salt, the sliced limes, garlic cloves, Kaffir lime leaves, and Thai Basil. Bring the water to a boil, then immediately bring down to a simmer. When the water stops rolling, drop in the shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
2. In a frying pan, roast the corn with some olive oil, salt, and pepper until it gets a nice char color on the outside, about 3-4 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, water chestnuts, Thai chilies, green onions, cilantro, corn, and shrimp. Mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper, the turmeric, soy sauce, sesame oil, lime zest and juice, and the avocado, and lightly mix to combine. Be careful to not break up the avocado too much!
4. Serve with your choice of tostones, chips, or something else that you think would go well with the ceviche.
This is super simple to make despite the long list of ingredients, and the stock is amazing to keep for a great flavor and can be used in many other dishes that you would like to make. It's fresh and delicious!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think of it and what you would differently. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =)
Monday, May 6, 2013
NEW RECIPE: Bacon Curried Scallops with Green Onion Rice
© Constantine William Spyrou
One of my favorite combinations has to be fresh seafood and warm heat. The best way to achieve that for me is through a seafood curry. Seafood curry isn't too popular because of the fact that the curry sauce can cause the seafood to overcook and be rubbery or dry, but if you can pair the two together without causing this, seafood curry is a match made in heaven.
For this seafood curry, I chose to use scallops because of their sweet and dense flesh that is just brilliant. It gets some help from the rich and fatty bacon that is used to bolster the curry sauce that the scallops are served over. Keeping the scallops and curry sauce more separate like this keeps the scallops from overcooking and being rubber. Coupled with the rich and creamy curry sauce and some fresh green onion rice, this match is one that you'll love!
Recipe will make 2 servings.
For the Scallops:
12 diver scallops, cleaned
Salt and Pepper to season
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
For the Curry Sauce:
2 ounces of bacon, chopped into small squares
1 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 of a jalapeno, chopped
1 diced white onion
1 diced carrot
1 cup shrimp stock (veggie stock also works for this)
1/4 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and Pepper to season
For the Rice:
2 cups uncooked rice
Water
Salt and Pepper to season
1/2 cup chopped green onion
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Wash the rice and place it in a small saucepan or pot. Season, cover with water to just over the limit, and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until all the rice is tender. When the rice is done, mix in the chopped green onion.
2. In a hot pan with a small amount of olive oil, fry the bacon until its nice and crisp with some salt and pepper for seasoning. Take the bacon pieces out of the pan, but leave the rendered out fat in to help cook the scallops.
3. Combine the seasonings for the scallop together and season evenly by applying the seasoning from a height (grab some in your hand, raise it high above the scallops, and let it rain down). Season both sides, then cook the scallops 6 at a time, searing to a nice golden color on each side. Total cooking time for each set of 6 scallops is no more than 2-3 minutes.
4. Once the scallops are out, add the bacon back to the pan. Add the garlic, onion, ginger, jalapeno, and carrot. When the carrots begin to soften and the onions turn translucent, deglaze the pan with the shrimp/veggie stock. Add the lime juice, curry powder, turmeric, and heavy cream.
5. Combine the sauce well, then place into a blender and make the sauce creamy and smooth. Place back in the pan and cook it out for 5 minutes.
6. Just before the sauce comes out of the pan, add the chopped cilantro and stir well.
7. Place the sauce on the bottom of half of the plate. Place 6 scallops over it, and serve with the green onion rice.
This is a fresh but spicy and delicious hot curry that is great with the scallops and will work together brilliantly. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think, and if you try making it, let me know how it turns out and what you would change! Enjoy! =)
One of my favorite combinations has to be fresh seafood and warm heat. The best way to achieve that for me is through a seafood curry. Seafood curry isn't too popular because of the fact that the curry sauce can cause the seafood to overcook and be rubbery or dry, but if you can pair the two together without causing this, seafood curry is a match made in heaven.
For this seafood curry, I chose to use scallops because of their sweet and dense flesh that is just brilliant. It gets some help from the rich and fatty bacon that is used to bolster the curry sauce that the scallops are served over. Keeping the scallops and curry sauce more separate like this keeps the scallops from overcooking and being rubber. Coupled with the rich and creamy curry sauce and some fresh green onion rice, this match is one that you'll love!
Recipe will make 2 servings.
For the Scallops:
12 diver scallops, cleaned
Salt and Pepper to season
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
For the Curry Sauce:
2 ounces of bacon, chopped into small squares
1 clove minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 of a jalapeno, chopped
1 diced white onion
1 diced carrot
1 cup shrimp stock (veggie stock also works for this)
1/4 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and Pepper to season
For the Rice:
2 cups uncooked rice
Water
Salt and Pepper to season
1/2 cup chopped green onion
Cooking/Assembling:
1. Wash the rice and place it in a small saucepan or pot. Season, cover with water to just over the limit, and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until all the rice is tender. When the rice is done, mix in the chopped green onion.
2. In a hot pan with a small amount of olive oil, fry the bacon until its nice and crisp with some salt and pepper for seasoning. Take the bacon pieces out of the pan, but leave the rendered out fat in to help cook the scallops.
3. Combine the seasonings for the scallop together and season evenly by applying the seasoning from a height (grab some in your hand, raise it high above the scallops, and let it rain down). Season both sides, then cook the scallops 6 at a time, searing to a nice golden color on each side. Total cooking time for each set of 6 scallops is no more than 2-3 minutes.
4. Once the scallops are out, add the bacon back to the pan. Add the garlic, onion, ginger, jalapeno, and carrot. When the carrots begin to soften and the onions turn translucent, deglaze the pan with the shrimp/veggie stock. Add the lime juice, curry powder, turmeric, and heavy cream.
5. Combine the sauce well, then place into a blender and make the sauce creamy and smooth. Place back in the pan and cook it out for 5 minutes.
6. Just before the sauce comes out of the pan, add the chopped cilantro and stir well.
7. Place the sauce on the bottom of half of the plate. Place 6 scallops over it, and serve with the green onion rice.
This is a fresh but spicy and delicious hot curry that is great with the scallops and will work together brilliantly. I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think, and if you try making it, let me know how it turns out and what you would change! Enjoy! =)
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