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FISH AND CHIPS
CHIPS
Olive oil or vegetable cooking spray
2 pounds russet or baking potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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FISH
4 small sole fillets (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup cornflake crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Olive oil or vegetable cooking spray
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Malt vinegar (optional)
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, for garnish
1. Make chips: Adjust oven racks to center and lower third of oven. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Lightly coat two large cookie sheets with olive oil cooking spray. Pat sliced potatoes with paper towels. Toss potatoes with oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl until well coated. Divide potatoes and spread in a single layer on prepared sheets. Bake potatoes 25 to 30 minutes, switching pans once halfway through, until lightly browned. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
2. Make fish: Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees. Cut each fillet crosswise in half. Combine buttermilk and red pepper in pie plate. Combine cornflake crumbs and parsley on a sheet of waxed paper. Dip each piece of fish in buttermilk mixture and coat with crumbs. Place on cookie sheet or large plate.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 1 minute. Lightly coat pan with olive oil cooking spray. Add half of the fish; cook 4 to 5 minutes, turning once halfway through, until fish is crisp and golden, and opaque in center when tested with a small knife. Transfer to cookie sheet and place in oven to keep warm. Repeat process with cooking spray and remaining fish.
4. Divide potatoes and fish among 4 serving plates; serve fish and chips with malt vinegar and garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
IT'S ALL IN THE INGREDIENTS
1. Choose a firm, white-fleshed fish--flounder, snapper, pollock or grouper can be substituted for the sole. All are equally delicious and low in fat.
2. Coat the fish with cornflake crumbs for crispness (you can find them in the bread aisle of the supermarket).
3. Use cooking spray to brown fish without excess fat and ensure that the potatoes won't stick to the pan.
MINI CHEESECAKES WITH
PEAR COMPOTE
Prep time: 20 minutes plus standing and chilling
Baking time: 30 to 35 minutes
Degree of difficulty: easy
Low-fat
Low-calorie
MINI CHEESECAKES
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
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PEAR COMPOTE
1 can (15 1/4 oz.) pear halves in heavy syrup
1/2 cup dried cranberries
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Lemon zest, for garnish
1. Make Mini Cheesecakes: Drain yogurt in fine strainer set over a bowl, 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat six 2-ounce ovenproof cups with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
3. Process cream cheese and sugar in food processor until smooth. Add egg, egg white, flour, lemon peel and lemon juice; pulse until combined. Transfer to medium bowl and stir in yogurt. Pour evenly into prepared cups.
4. Place cups in roasting pan; add enough hot water to come 1 inch up sides of cups. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until just set. Turn oven off and let cheesecakes stand in oven 30 minutes. (Do not open oven door.) Transfer cups from water bath to wire rack; cool 15 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour until cold. (Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate overnight.) Top each cheesecake with 2 tablespoons pear compote; garnish with peel, if desired. (Reserve remaining compote for another use.) Makes 6 servings.
Pear Compote: Strain liquid from pears into small saucepan; set pears aside. Add cranberries to pear liquid and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 5 to 8 minutes, until cranberries just soften. Transfer to medium bowl; cool. Dice pears and stir into cranberry mixture. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
BOURBON POUND CAKE
1 lb Butter; softened
3 c Sugar
8 Eggs; separated
2/3 c Bourbon
2 ts Vanilla
2 ts Almond extract
3 c Flour
1/2 c Chopped nuts
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 10" tube pan well, sprinkle with chopped nuts.
2. Cream butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolks one at a time, beating well after each.
3. Combine bourbon, vanilla and almond extract. Add alternately with flour to butter mixture until well mixed.
4. Beat egg whites with remaining cup sugar until stiff but not dry. Gently fold into batter.
5. Bake in prepared pan about 1 1/2 hours. Invert pan on wire rack to cool completely before removing cake. Serve thinly sliced.
DEEP FRIED CHICKEN
1/2 c Flour
2 ts Salt
2 Eggs
5 tb Water
4 c Safflower oil
3 lb Chicken pieces
Black pepper
Mix flour, salt, eggs and water to make batter. Cover and let rest 20 minutes.
Heat oil in deep fryer to 350°. Heat oven to 200°.
Dip each chicken piece in batter. Fry, a few
pieces at a time, in oil until crisp and brown all over. Drain on paper towels, then keep warm in oven while frying remaining chicken. Season with salt and pepper; serve.
EGG DROP SOUP
4 Scallions
5 c Chicken stock
6 sm Mushrooms; finely sliced
2 c Shredded cooked chicken
2 Eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 ts Soy sauce
Finely slice scallions and reserve green part for garnish. Heat stock to boiling. Add mushrooms and scallions; cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken to soup. Beat eggs slightly with a bit of salt and pepper. Stir soup well. Pour beaten eggs slowly and steadily into soup, stirring constantly so that eggs remain in shreds. Cook 1-2 minutes until egg is set. Add soy sauce and serve in soup bowls, sprinkled with reserved green slices of scallions.
FRIED GRITS AND HAM
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup grits
6 ounces country ham, prosciutto, or other ham -- finely chopped
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs -- lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
6 tablespoons butter
Bring the water and half of the salt to a boil and stir in the grits. Cover and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened.
Pour half the grits into a rectangular baking dish. Sprinkle with the finely chopped ham or prosciutto and cover with the remaining grits. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or overnight.
Mix the flour with the pepper and remaining salt. Lightly beat the eggs.
Slice the cold grits and ham into either 8 or 16 pieces. Dip each slice into flour, then in the eggs, and back into the flour.
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet and when hot, cook the grits, a few pieces at a time, browning well on each side. Add more oil and butter to the pan as necessary.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot. These may be made up to two hours in advance and warmed before serving. Serves 8.
FUDGE SNACK CAKE
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted shortening
1/2 cup chopped pecans -- optional
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sauce:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar -- packed
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup hot water
Sift dry ingredients. Stir in milk and shortening. Add nuts, if using, and vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 8- x 8-inch pan. Combine sauce ingredients; pour over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack to cool; serve the cake from the pan.
BASIC CHINESE CHICKEN STOCK
3 lbs (1.25 Kg) chicken backs, necks, and trimmings
16 cups (4 L) cold water
12 whole black peppercorns
2 whole celery stalks with leaves
2 thin slices fresh ginger
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Skim the surface and strain the stock. Chill and remove the fat from the top. Makes about 4 quarts (4 L).
GRANDMOTHER'S RICE PUDDING
3 slightly beaten eggs
2 cups of milk
1 1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, broken
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except cinnamon; mix well. Pour into a glass baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Stir. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Continue baking until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean, 20-25 minutes longer. Serve warm or cold, plain or with light cream. Serves 6.
GRANDMA'S TEA TIME TASSIES
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Shell Ingredients:
1 3 oz. block of cream cheese
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
Filling Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter softened
a few grains of salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Some Powdered Sugar for decoration
For Shells: Mix all the shell ingredients together and after it forms a dough form it into 24 small balls. Put the balls into mini muffin tins and spread it evenly around the sides and bottom of the tin. Chill.
For Filling: Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Fill each chilled shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes. Cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Makes 24 cookies
EMERIL'S BUTTER COOKIES
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
Assorted sprinkles
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Cream the mixture until it is smooth and fluffy. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, mixing in between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat for 1 minute and add the vanilla. Combine the flour and the salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until it is fully incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the batter is thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Lightly flour a flat surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into the desired shapes. Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Place the cookies on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Remove the cookies from the pan using a spatula. Repeat the process until all the dough is used. Frost each cookie and garnish with sprinkles.
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 1999
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick of butter, softened
3/4 pound (about 3 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
Red, blue, green and yellow food coloring
In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the cheese and butter. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla and milk and mix well. Add a couple of drops of food coloring and mix well. Yield: about 1 1/2 to 2 cups frosting
Yield: about 2 dozen cookies
FIRECRACKER DESERTS
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon each orange zest and juice
8 small wonton wrappers
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Heat oil in a wok or deep fryer to 360 degrees F. Combine dates, walnuts, orange zest and juice. Lay out wonton wrappers with a point facing you, top with a small spoonful of date mixture and roll away from you into a tight cylinder; it will look like a little cigarette. Fry, in batches if necessary, until golden; remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar.
Yield: 8 pieces
EMERIL'S ESSENCE CREOLE SEASONONG(Bayou Blast)
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup
Yield: 8 servings
CROCKPOT ROAST WITH GRAVY AND VEGGIES
1 roast, 2 to 4 pounds - lean chuck, bottom round, rump, etc.
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet or other gravy browning/seasoning sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 medium onions, cut in wedges
4 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
2 to 4 carrots, halved and quartered
Place roast in the crockpot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make a paste of the flour and cold water; stir in Kitchen Bouquet and spread over roast. Add garlic, onion, potatoes, and carrots (or use any other root vegetable such as parsnips or rutabaga). Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4 to 6, depending on the size of the roast.
SLOW COOKER SLOPPY JOES
3 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 (12 ounce) bottle prepared chili sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
sandwich buns
In 5 quart Dutch Oven, brown ground beef, onions, celery and green pepper; drain. Place ground beef mixture in slow cooker; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low setting for 3-5 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve on sandwich buns. Makes 21 (1/3 cup) servings.
