Chuchu's Amazing Balls

1.5 cup good Italian bread, chopped fine
milk to cover, soak 2 minutes and squeeze out
1/2 lb each beef, veal, break up meat well
3 oz minced pancetta
1 egg
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parm
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp salt
Parm to garnish
Salt and pepper


mix it all together and roll into 1.5 ish inch balls.  brown.  put in sauce.  

Rick Bayless teaches you how to create a Mexican meal
Saturdays at 9:30p/8:30c

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Recipes

Enchiladas Especiales Tacuba Style

TAGS: FOOD, MAIN COURSE, MEXICO: ONE PLATE AT A TIME

• 82

• Servings: 4 to 6
• Provided by: Rick Bayless

Ingredients Print Recipe

• 2 fresh poblano chiles
• 1 cup (lightly packed) roughly chopped spinach leaves
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter -- or you can use vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• Salt
• 3 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (I usually use a rotisserie chicken or leftover grilled chicken)
• 12 corn tortillas
• A little vegetable oil for brushing or spraying
• About 1 cup Mexican melting cheese (Chihuahua, quesadilla, asadero or the like) or Monterey Jack, brick or mild cheddar
• A little chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Make the sauce. Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly, until the skins have blistered and blackened on all side, about 5 minutes for an open flame, about 10 minutes under the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and, when handleable, rub off the blackened skin, tear open and pull out the seed pod and stem. Quickly rinse to remove any stray seeds or bits of skin. Roughly chop and put in a blender jar. Add the spinach.In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, combine the milk and broth, set over medium-low heat to warm.
In a large (4-quart) saucepan, melt the butter (or heat the oil) over medium. Add the garlic and cook for a minute to release its aroma, then add the flour and stir the mixture for a minute. Raise the heat to medium-high. Pour in the warm broth mixture and whisk constantly until the sauce boils. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Pour half the hot sauce into the blender with the chiles and spinach. Cover loosely (I remove the center part of the lid, secure the lid, then drape a cloth over the whole thing) and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining sauce. Taste and season with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons.
2. Finish the enchiladas. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Smear about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the bottom of each of four to six 9-inch individual ovenproof baking/serving dishes or smear about 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir 1 cup of the sauce into the chicken.
Lay half of the tortillas out on a baking sheet and lightly brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with oil; top each tortilla with another one and brush or spray those with oil. Bake just to warm through and soften, about 3 minutes. Stack the tortillas and cover with a towel to keep warm.
Working quickly so that the tortillas stay hot and pliable, roll a portion of the chicken up in each tortilla, then line them all up in the baking dish(es). Douse evenly with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the enchiladas are hot through (the cheese will have begun to brown), about 20 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and serve without hesitation.

Brandade De Morue au Gratin

Brandade is a puree of salt cod, garlic, and potato emulsified with olive oil. You can prepare the brandade ahead and reheat it in a gratin dish at serving time until hot, bubbly, and brown on top.
Then let your guests either dip the toasts in the brandade or spread some of the mixture on them.

Serves 8 to 10 as an hors d’oeuvre


1 pound salt cod
2 large Red Bliss potatoes (about I pound)
1 teaspoon lemon rind
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups milk, heated until hot
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 baguettes, cut into about 50 1/2-inch-thick rounds

Rinse the cod under cold running water and put it in a large bowl containing about 5 quarts cold water. Let soak for at least 4 hours, changing the water after 2 hours.

Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover them with cold water, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and boil the potatoes gently for about 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside.
Drain the cod. Put it in a saucepan with 8 cups cold water, bring just to a gentle boil, and drain immediately. Rinse out the pan and add the cod and 4 cups cold water. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
When the cod is cool enough to handle, remove any skin and bones with your fingers, breaking the flesh into pieces. Return the cod to the pan, add the milk and garlic, and bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for 10 minutes.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2-inch pieces.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Put the cod, with the milk, and the garlic, in a food processor. Add the lemon zest and potatoes and process for about 1 minute, until smooth. Add the lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and process briefly to incorporate. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and continue processing until the mixture is very smooth.
Lightly oil an 8-cup gratin dish and transfer the brandade to the dish, spreading it out evenly. (The brandade can be made several hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
Sprinkle the brandade with the cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and it is hot throughout. (If the brandade has been refrigerated, increase the baking time by about 10 minutes.)
Meanwhile, arrange the rounds of bread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Serve the brandade with the toasts for dipping or spreading. 

Copyright © 2011 Essential Pepin. All rights reserved.

Caesar Salad From Cook's Illustrated

INGREDIENTS

• Croutons

• 5tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2teaspoon garlic paste from 1 medium clove (see note)
• 1/2 - 3/4loaf ciabatta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 5 cups) (see note)
•        1/4cup water
• 1/4teaspoon table salt
• 2tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

• Salad

• 3/4teaspoon garlic paste from 1 large clove (see note)
• 2 - 3tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
• 1/2teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 6anchovy fillets, patted dry with paper towels, minced fine, and mashed to paste with fork (1 tablespoon) (see note)
• 2large egg yolks (see note)
• 5tablespoons canola oil
• 5teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
• Ground black pepper
• 2 - 3romaine hearts, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices, rinsed, and dried very well (8 to 9 lightly pressed cups)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. FOR THE CROUTONS: Combine 1 tablespoon oil and garlic paste in small bowl; set aside. Place bread cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with water and salt. Toss, squeezing gently so bread absorbs water. Place remaining 4 tablespoons oil and soaked bread cubes in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes.
   2. Remove skillet from heat, push croutons to sides of skillet to clear center, add garlic/oil mixture to clearing and cook with residual heat of pan, 10 seconds. Sprinkle with Parmesan; toss until garlic and Parmesan are evenly distributed. Transfer croutons to bowl; set aside.
   3. FOR THE SALAD: Whisk garlic paste and 2 tablespoons lemon juice together in large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes.
   4. Whisk Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, and egg yolks into garlic/lemon juice mixture. While whisking constantly, drizzle canola oil and extra virgin olive oil into bowl in slow, steady stream until fully emulsified. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and pepper to taste; whisk until incorporated.
   5. Add romaine to dressing and toss to coat. Add croutons and mix gently until evenly distributed. Taste and season with up to additional 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Serve immediately, passing remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan separately.

TECHNIQUE

A BETTER KIND OF CROUTON

Most modern-day croutons used in Caesar salad are crunchy through and through. We designed ours to be crispy on the outside but chewy in the middle, a far better complement to the crisp-tender romaine leaves.

1. MOISTEN Sprinkling bread cubes with water and then squeezing them moistens their interior.

2. CRISP UP Frying the dampened cubes in oil crisps their exteriors while the moist interior retains some chew.

COOKING CLASS

TEMPERING GARLIC'S BITE

In our Caesar dressing, every little detail counts—especially the strong flavor of raw garlic. In the past, we’ve found that cloves minced well in advance end up tasting harsh in the final dish. Would letting the grated garlic in our recipe sit for just 10 minutes while we prepared the rest of the salad ingredients have the same effect? And could steeping it in lemon juice for the same amount of time—a practice recommended by an old French wives’ tale—actually mellow it out?

EXPERIMENT

We made three batches of Caesar dressing: In the first, we grated the garlic and immediately combined it with the other dressing ingredients. In the second, we soaked the grated garlic in lemon juice for 10 minutes before proceeding. In the third, we let the grated garlic rest for 10 minutes on its own before combining it with the other components.

RESULTS

Tasters found the garlic grated in advance without steeping tasted the harshest of the three. The other two preparations—grated garlic soaked in lemon juice and grated garlic immediately mixed into the dressing—tasted markedly milder, with the lemon juice-soaked sample making for a particularly well-balanced dressing.

EXPLANATION

Raw garlic’s harsh flavor comes from a compound called allicin, which forms as soon as the clove’s cells are ruptured and continues to build as it sits. The citric acid in lemon juice hastens the conversion of harsh-tasting allicin to more mellow compounds called thiosulfonates, disulfides, and trisulfides—the same milder-tasting compounds that form when garlic is heated. And since soaking the garlic is easy to do while preparing the other ingredients, it’s a step we think is worthwhile.

GARLIC ON ACIDSteeping cut garlic in lemon juice mellows its flavor.

Kale & Brussels Sprouts Hash With Bacon & Toasted Walnuts

Shred the vegetables into paper-thin slices in advance, which will save a lot of time when making this quick hash. You can also prepare the sprouts on a mandolin if you prefer. The greens should be slightly softened but not cooked down too much - they should still have some chew. You can make this vegetarian by omitting the bacon and using olive oil instead of the bacon fat, and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. 

Ingredients:

• 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 large bunch lacinato (dino) kale, ribs removed and cut into thin slices
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, broken into pieces
• Lemon juice, to taste
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste 

Instructions:

1. Instructions: Place the bacon in a large skillet. Place the skillet over medium heat and cook until the bacon is crisp and golden, 10-12 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the shallots and the garlic to the bacon fat in the pan and cook, stirring often, until the shallots are slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.
3. Add the Brussels sprouts and kale, and stir continuously until the greens are slightly wilted but still have some chew, about 3-5 minutes. Stir the bacon back into the mixture; add the walnuts and stir until incorporated. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve warm. 

Nutrition Information:

• Per serving: 206 calories, 11 g protein, 15 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat (2 g saturated), 3 mg cholesterol, 96 mg sodium, 5 g fiber. 

Prupisceddu in Umidu (Baby Octopus Stew) from La Ciccia
serves 4 people as an appetizer

Ingredients:

2 lbs. baby octopus
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp. dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ medium onion, chopped
1 pinch chili flakes
1 small bunch of parsley, chopped
¼ lb. of fresh stewed tomatoes or canned tomatoes
2 leaves of fresh basil

Preparation:

Clean the octopuses by rinsing them with running water. Set aside.

In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the garlic, onion, and half
of the parsley. Cook until the onion is translucent and then add the octopus, mixing well. Increase the heat to high and add the wine. When the alcohol has evaporated, lower the
heat, and let the octopus simmer for about 5-7 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, basil leaves, and chili flakes and cover the pan with a lid, letting it cook over a medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes or until the octopus is fork-tender. After cooking, let the stew sit covered for a few minutes, then sprinkle with the rest of the chopped parsley and serve in hot bowls.

Paella Catalan

Paella Catalan

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, boned, skin on, quartered

1/2 lb.  chicken breast, boned, skin on, cut into 2” pieces

6 oz. pork loin, cubed

1/2 lb. shrimp, medium, shell on

1/2 lb. squid, small, body (sliced into rings) and tentacles

2 doz. mussels, medium , cleaned and beards removed

1 lb. linguica, sliced ¼ “

1 large onion, ¼ ”dice

2 red bell peppers. medium, sliced

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 28 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes, drained and hand crushed

4 cups chicken stock

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup sweet peas

½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

2-1/2 cups short grain rice (Arborio)

2 tsp. saffron threads

1 tbsp pimenton

Kosher salt and Black pepper

Method:

Heat stock in a medium sauce pan to a low simmer and keep hot.

Grind the saffron with one teaspoon of salt until a powder is formed, then add pimenton and garlic and continue grinding until a paste forms. Set aside.

Place a 14-16” paella pan on a cast iron heat diffuser over a gas burner and heat on high and add olive oil. The heat diffuser is essential to achieve even heat in the pan and avoid burning in the center. When the oil is hot, add chicken, linguica and pork and cook until golden, about 10 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat to a plate. Add the onion and peppers and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Return the meat to the pan, add tomatoes and 2 ladles of stock, stir well and simmer for about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Add about 2 tablespoons of stock to the mortar and stir well, then add to the pan of hot stock.

Add the rice and all but ½ cup of the stock to the paella pan and stir well. Add shrimp and squid. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes, and add reserved stock if the rice is not quite tender and cook a few minutes longer. In a separate covered sauce pan, steam the mussels in a little water and ½ cup white wine for 5 minutes and discard the unopened ones. Then arrange the mussels on top of the paella. Turn off heat and remove the pan from the heat diffuser. Cover paella pan with a dry kitchen towel and let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve at once to 8-10 people.