In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, Heart Lamb Irish Stew

Here is a quick recipe to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Sure you can sub the Lamb with Beef, but what fun would that be?
- Richard

Irish Stew
1/2 pound thickly sliced bacon, diced
6 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup water
4 cups canned beef stock
2 teaspoons sugar
4 cups carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
3 pounds potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme, whole
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup River Valley White wine
Chopped parsley

Using a large pan cook the bacon until crisp. Reserve the fat and the bacon.

In a large bowl place the lamb, salt, pepper, and flour. Toss to coat evenly. Reheat the frying pan. In batches, cook the lamb until evenly browned. Transfer the browned meat to a 10-quart stock pot (being sure to keep some of the bacon fat in the sauté pan.

Add the garlic and yellow onion to the pan and saute until the onion begins to caramelize. Deglaze the frying pan with 1/2 cup of water and add the garlic-onion mixture to the casserole, along with the reserved bacon pieces, beef stock, and sugar. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, or until tender.

Add the carrots, onions, potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, and wine to the pot and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. Season to taste and garnish.

Mardi Gras Party! Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille Etouffee

Been awhile since the last blog but it's time to come out of hibernation and get ready for Spring. In Honor of Mardi Gras let’s heat this place up and melt the snow!
-Richard

Shrimp, Chicken & Andouille Ingredients

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if desired
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup minced green onions, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2 to 3 dashes Tabasco
2 cup chicken stock or clam juice
2 large diced tomatoes
1 large chicken breast diced
1 pound andouille sausage diced
2 pounds large shrimp peeled and de-veined
1/2 stick butter
Diced green onions, for garnish

Make the roux, mix oil and flour in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk flour into the oil to form a thick paste. Continue cooking over low heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture turns a caramel color and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15 to 20 minutes.

To the roux, add chicken and let cook for 5 minutes. Then add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat about 5 minute. Add white pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, green onions and parsley and andouille. Add stock then stir in tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add shrimp and stir. Let shrimp cook for about s-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Whirl in the butter and let melt. Serve over cooked white rice and garnish with green onions.

Artichoke Puffs

One of the most crowd-pleasing recipes happens to be one of the easiest recipes ever made. Molly suggested this too me and I laughed thinking no customer would ever like such an easy appetizer. So I did these as a joke for a ‘elegant” tasting and much to my surprise, they chose this recipe. I ended up producing about 32,400 of these in a 17-week period. It took almost a year before I was ready to see another one, though everyone keeps asking over and over for this recipe. Every time I get an order for these I hear my wife in the back of my head saying, “ I told you so”.

Artichoke Puffs

1 loaf sliced white bread
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/3 cup parsley
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, chopped
1-2 lbs. Shredded cheddar
cookie sheet

Preheat your oven to 400. Slice your bread in 2 inch cubes. Place them on cookie sheet and toast in oven for 5 minutes.

Take "toast pints" out of oven. Set your oven to broil. In a large bowl mix mayo, parm, parsley, onion powder Artichokes and cheddar together.

Turn toast points over and place artichoke mixture on top of the toast points. Place in broiler for roughly 3 minutes. You want the cheese to start to brown and become a little bubbly. Serve immediately

Roasted Pepper Artichoke Dip

Here is another great holiday recipe idea. Roasted Pepper Artichoke Dip is easy to make and fun to eat. Goes great with some garlic toast points, crackers and even some fried ravioli!

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 can or jar (12 to 14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained, not marinated
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder, optional
1/4 cup minced roasted red pepper

Combine all ingredients. Spread in a pie plate or shallow baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Serve cold or heat in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°.

Keep is Simple, Keep it Local!

Mushroom Caps

Here is an easy appetizer for any occasion. Great for the Holidays and perfect for a New Years Eve Appetizer!

Cheers!

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound large mushrooms
6 tablespoons butter
3 green onions, minced
4 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
4 ounces Jumbo Lump crab (found in most grocery stores)
1 cup fresh fine bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

• Wash and trim the end of stems from mushrooms. Take remaining stem out. Chop stems and set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter to brush over the mushrooms.
• Melt remaining butter in skillet; add reserved chopped stems, minced green onions and red bell pepper. Cook until tender. Combine all with bread crumbs, crab meat, and seasonings.
• Fill each mushrooms, piling up. Sprinkle mushrooms with Parmesan cheese.
• Place in greased baking dish.
• Bake at 350° for roughly 15 minutes or until mushroom caps are tender.

On the 3rd day my True Love gave to me 3 Swedish meatballs

During the Holiday season one of the most commonly found recipes in any Midwestern celebration is Swedish Meatballs. Some serve as simple appetizers, some as a meal, -though all are a little different. Most are heirloom recipes passed down from generation to generation. I have been handed recipes with Beef, Pork and even Lamb while every grandmother, cook & chef states that theirs is the “real” Swedish meatball. I once had a chef tell me that his original recipe was over 200 years old, though I became suspicious after noticing that the recipe called for Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup.

Some recipes are more complex than others, though all are fun to try. When you are handed a recipe for this dish, you have more than likely been handed someone’s tradition.

Below is an easy Swedish Meatball recipe. I was given this recipe from a friend that claims this too is the “real” Swedish Meatball recipe, though I suspect that somewhere out there the original recipe remains a mystery….

Keep it Fresh, Keep it Local!

Richard


The What:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. finely chopped green bell pepper
2/3 c. milk
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dill
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauce Ingredients:
2 cups Half & Half
1 cup Sour Cream
1 small can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed

Heat oven to 400°F. Combine all meatball ingredients in 3-quart bowl; mix lightly. Shape mixture into 18 balls. Place meatballs in ungreased baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven.

Combine all sauce ingredients in medium bowl. Pour over meatballs. Continue baking, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve Meatballs over cooked Egg Noodles, and garnish with a little fresh chopped parsley.

On the Second day of Christmas my True Love gave to me, Two Cornish Game Hens!

Entertaining or even a small dinner for two, Cornish Game Hens make a perfect meal. They are light, easy to cook, and great to display on a plate -- transforming the novice of cook into the classic trained chef!

Less than a hour to prepare, this recipe will surely be a hit. Great with herb roasted potatoes, a simple rice pilaf or a creamy risotto.

The What:
4 Cornish game hens
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 Orange, quartered
4 Tablespoons dried apricots
4 Sprigs fresh rosemary
3 Tablespoons olive oil
12 Cloves garlic
1/3 Cup Crofut Prairie Blanc wine
1/3 Cup chicken broth
4 Sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish

The How
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Rub hens w/ 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with S&P. Stuff orange wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in of each bird. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange apricots and garlic cloves around hens. Roast in oven for roughly 25 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and 2 tablespoons of oil then pour over the birds. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until the birds are golden brown and juices run clear. (If nervous about the birds being done, place a meat thermometer directly into the thickest part of the breast and be sure it reads 165.)

Transfer hens to a large platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Transfer pan juices and garlic & apricots to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce by half (about 7-8 minutes).

Cut birds in half (lengthwise). Pour sauce over the birds and garnish.

Keep it Simple, Keep it Local!
Richard