Spicy Pork and Peppers

SPICY  PORK  &  PEPPERS

For the Pork:
     2 pounds of bonelss pork loin, trimmed of all fat,
         sliced into thin 1/4 inch strips, 3 - 4 " long
    1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
    1 large egg
    1 tablespoon rice wine or rice wine vinegar
    2 teaspoons sesame oil
    1 teaspoon soy sauce

For the Sauce:
    3 teaspoons cornstarch
    3/4 cup chicken broth
    1/4 cup soy sauce
    2 tablespoons rice wine or vinegar
    2 teaspoons sugar
    1 1/2 tablepoons sesame oil
    1/2 - 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 cups vegetable oil for frying
2 red bell peppers, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips
2 green bell peppers, cut the same as red peppers
1 - 3 inch fresh green or red hot chili pepper, seeded
       and minced (reduce amount if mild sauce is 
       preferred.)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Szechwan peppercorns, crushed lightly
      (omit if milder sauce is preferred - or substitute
        with a dash of dried red pepper flakes to taste.)
1 tablespoon minced, peeled ginger
2 teaspoons chili paste (with or without garlic)
sliced green onion tops for garnish

    -In a medium bowl combine the cornstarch, egg, rice wine, sesame oil and the soy sauce.  Add pork strips and stir until the pork is coated well.  Chill, covered for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

    -Make the sauce in a small bowl by dissolving the cornstarch in the broth then add the soy sauce, rice wine or rice vinegar, sugar, black pepper and the sesame oil.

    -Heat a wok over high heat unil it is hot.  Add the oil and heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 375 degrees farenheit.   Fry the pork in the oil in 3 batches sitrring, for about 1  minute or until the strips separate and change color.  Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large collander set  over a bowl. Make sure the oil returns to 375 degrees beore adding each new batch.  (The pork may be fried up to 6 hours in advance and kept covered and chilled.)

    -Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the oil in the wok and heat over high heat until hot.  Stir-fry the red and green bell peppers for 1 minute or until they are softened slightly but still crisp.  Transfer the peppers with a slotted spoon to a bowl.  

    -If necessary, add more oil to the wok to measure about 3 tablespoons, heat again until hot and in it stir-fry the chili peppers, garlic, peppercorn, ginger and the chili paste for 30 seconds or until the mixture is fragrant.  Stir the sauce and add it to the wok, stirring, and bring it to a boil.  Add pork and the peppers and cook the mixture, tossing it constantly for 1 - 2 minutes or until it is heated through.

    -Tranfer the mixture to a serving dish and garnish with the green onion tops. (Serve on a bed of steamed white rice.)

               Prepare peppers, pork and sauce.

Fry pork in hot oil in wok.

                                                    Stir fry peppers in wok until slightly tender.    

                                                          

Serve Pork and Peppers on bed of steamed rice.

Leek Confit & Salmon Crostini

     

        Smoked salmon with buttery stewed leeks (or leeks confit; confit - cooked in fat), on crusty french bread!  Can you taste it?  It's wonderful!  This combo occurred to me after sampling some leeks stewed in butter from a recipe my daughter tried, then served on bread toasts with goat cheese.  Now that in and of itself may appeal to many of you and I heartily think you should try it with the goat cheese, but I know myself and goat cheese - we do not agree; too many memories of strong goat flavors in the Middle East when I thought I was eating something else!  We had a phrase in our family.."It's goaty" which meant, you don't want to eat this and was not only applied to what we thought was lamb but to dishes such as baklawa as well, where local bakers used ghee instead of butter, which has the same distinctive taste.

      But I knew I had to have these leeks again and again and how well mild onion flavors hang out with salmon - the inspiration was just a bite away.

The salmon provides the smokey undertone, to the mild buttery onion flavor of the leeks against the contrast of the crunchy baked french bread (crostini).  A great recipe for an appetizer or for a snacks and drinks party!

Leek & Smoked Salmon Crostinionfit & Salmon Crostini

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 large leeks (white and pale green parts only),

     halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

             (about 5 cups)

2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt

20 round slices of french baguette, 1/2 inch thick

1/4 pound sliced smoked salmon, cut into 2 by 4 inch pieces

1 shallot, finely minced

2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tab. drained capers, roughly chopped

Goat cheese (cream cheese, Alouette or Boursin or 

                      mayonaise)

-Soak sliced leeks in large bowl of cold water.  Mix with your hands briefly, slipping rings apart then allow leeks to rest a few minutes so the dirt is washed out of the layers of the leeks - drain well.

-Melt butter in large pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks; stir to coat. Stir in water and salt. Cover pot; reduce heat to low. Cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Uncover and cook to evaporate excess water, 2 to 3 minutes.  DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled. Rewarm before using.

-Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, salmon, shallot, chives, pepper, lemon rind, juice and capers and set aside to marinate for 5 - 10 minutes.

-Place slices of bread on ungreased cookie sheet.  Brush both sides of each bread slice with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Bake in oven at 350 until toast is golden and dry, about 10 minutes. (Turn slices over to ensure even drying.) 

-Spread each crostini with goat cheese, cream cheese, Alouette or Boursin or mayonaise.  Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of leeks on each round of bread and top with smoked salmon mixture.  Serve warm.

Place washed leeks in melted butter in saucepan & cover

                     Toast French bread rounds until golden.  Marinate salmon.

                                                             Place leek confit on each round, topped with 
                                                                                     marinated salmon

Serve Warm

Meringue Shells with Lemon Filling

Meringue Shells with Lemon Filling
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. vinegar

  Filling:
        1/3 cup butter
        1/3 cup sugar
        3 egg yolks
        2 tsp. finely grated lemon rind
        1/3 cup lemon juice
        1/8 tsp. salt
        1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
        3 tablespoons powdered sugar

  Raspberry Puree:
        1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
        2 tab. sugar
        1 tsp. lemon juice

        2 finely minced fresh mint leaves (optional)

        -Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.  
            Continue beating adding sugar 1 tab. at a time.  Add
            vinegar and salt after half of the sugar has been added.
            Continue beating egg whites, adding rest of sugar 1
            tablespoon at a time, until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  
         -Place pachment paper on cookie sheet.  Fill piping bag
             with meringue (egg white mixture) and using a large
             star tip pipe a flat tight circle on the parchment paper, 
             beginning in the center until your circle disk is about 2 
             1/2 inches in diameter.  Pipe two ringsof the meringue
             around the edge of the circle, on top of the circle's edge
             one of top of the other.
             (Alternately, you can simply place a large spoonful,
              about 1/3 cup, meringue onto paper and with the back
              of a spoon form a circle and mold a hole in the center, 
              raising the edges up to form a cup.)

          -Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour.  Turn off heat and prop
              oven door open with the handle of a wooden spoon and
              leave meringue shells in oven to cool, about 1 hour.

          -Meantime, prepare lemon filling by mixing soft butter
              and sugar in mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes.  
              Add the egg yolks one at a time until smooth, then stir 
              in lemon juice, lemon rind and salt

           -Place mixture in a medium sized non-aluminum 
               saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring very
               frequently, until thickened and mixture is about to
               boil, or after you see the first bubble - about 8 
               minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool - 
               about 30 minutes.

           -Beat 1/2 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Stir 
                in 3 tablespoons powdered sugar.

           -Gently fold whipped cream into lemon curd (mixture)
                until smooth.  Chill until ready to use or up to 30
                minutes.

       -Prepare raspberry puree by placing raspberries, sugar, 
               lemon juice and mint (if used) in a small saucepan.
               Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until
               mixture thickens and becomes shiny, breaking up
               berries with wooden spoon or potato masher.
               Remove from heat and allow to cool to room 
               temperature.

     To Assemble:
          Fill each meringue shell half full (1 - 1 1/2 tab.) with
          lemon filling.  Spoon 1-2 tsp. of raspberry puree in center
          of lemon filling.  Cover the raspberry puree with another
          1 - 1 1/2 tab. of lemon filling.  Chill in fridge for at least
          1 hour.  Garnish with a couple of fresh raspberries, blue-
          berries and a mint leaf.

           Makes 10 merginue lemon tarts.  Can keep up to 3 days
           in frefrigerator, loosely covered with plastic wrap or
           foil.
         

Beat egg whites with sugar until glossy and 

stiff peaks form.

Using a star tip, pipe meringue shells.

                                             Lemon curd 

                                             

 Fill shells with lemon filling, dollop 

     raspberry in center and cover with more filling.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Lemon reacts with metal, to take on a metallic taste, particularly when cooked in aluminum pots, so be sure to cook your curd in a stainless steel, teflon-coated, or ceramic pot.  Remove from pot to cool in a plastic or glass bowl.

**To grate lemon, orange or lime rind, use a micro-plane to get a very fine grate.  This device is essential in my kitchen and use it for this purpose as well as for grating fresh nutmeg.

**If piping frightens you, use the shaping method described, where you plop down a spoonful of meringue and sculpt it into a bowl-shaped shell with the back of a spoon.  But meringue is a great medium to practice your piping skills with as it is pipes out so easily and holds its

shape beautifully.

         

        

Potatoes Dauphinois

     

        Really, truly, the best potato casserole you've ever eaten!  Leave it to the French to take the lowly potato and combine it with their staple recipe ingredients, cream and a nutty-flavored cheese and "Voila!"  No one does it better.  However, if I may be so bold, I suggest a slight variation, not necessarily an improvement, just a variation.  And apparently I am that bold because below I suggest the addition of caramelized onions and red bell pepper.  They add an element of sweetness to the dish, that in my humble non-French opinion, raises it up just a notch highter on the list of most delicious potato dishes!  However, if you would never question the culinary genius of the French, leave the onions and red pepper out and let this dish transport you to the street cafes of France. Any Frenchman would be proud at your efforts!

But where we would say "au gratin potatoes", they would say, "No, No, No, Potatoes Dauphinois!" (Princely Potatoes).
       This side dish is a combination between rustic and elegant, if that is possible (the French must have a word for it)  and a dish that can be served to family, or for entertaining and accompanies almost anything one can think of beautifully. It is rich and terribly satisfying.  C'est magnifique!

Gratin Dauphinois

(Prince potatoes with gratin top (grilled))

3 cloves garlic                             2 cups shredded gruyere cheese (or swiss)

1 ½ cup whole milk                   salt and freshly ground pepper

2/3 cup heavy cream                 ½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg                        

2 lb. white potatoes                   1 medium onion, thinly slivered

1 red pepper, slivered               1 tab. flour

3 tablespoons butter

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

-Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Saute the onion

      and red  peppers in the butter until softened, 6 - 8 minutes, over

      medium heat.  Peel the garlic and crush in a press or finely

      mince.  Add the garlic and continue to saute 1 minute

      more.  Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir over heat 1 minute 

      longer.  Pour the milk and cream (at room temperature) into the

      pot and bring to boil over low heat.  Stir in nutmeg and salt and 

      pepper to taste.

-Meanwhile, peel the potatoes, wash and pat dry.  Using the slicer

      attachment of a food processor, slice the potatoes very thinly

      or by hand use a sharp paring knife and slice potatoes thinly. 

      Add to the saucepan and cook for 5  minutes, turning the 

      potatoes frequently but carefully.

-Butter a 10 x 9 inch baking dish.  Add half the potatoes and sauce,

      then then sprinkle on half of the cheese.  Repeat layers and smooth

      the surface with a wooden spoon.  

-Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes.  Test potatoes with a

     fork to make sure they are tender.

-Remove from oven and let rest for 15 - 20 minutes.  Serve warm from 

     the baking dish.   -Serves 8 – 10.

Chicken Almondine

       A family favorite, chicken almondine is a recipe for the almond lover!  The coating is encrusted with those lovely little gems of a nut, sliced, and a few more added just to be sure there are enough!
      We all know how to bread chicken or veal or fish or liver - there is the traditional way, where you dip your meat product into flour, then into eggs, then into bread crumb mixtures.  One has to line up a station for the breading process and leave 3 dirty bowls and a messy counter to deal with after - but it is worth the final product.  However this recipe takes us on a shortcut to breaded heaven and one that makes the chicken more tender in the process.  The chicken breasts are marinated in a batter of flour, milk and eggs, with a touch of lemon zest to perk them up and then dredged in a mixture of breadcrumbs with the sliced almonds and crushed tarragon all at one time.  Then into the the skillet they go to fry until golden on each side.
      A lovely dish for family or company, it is always a crowd pleaser.  The creamy sauce with the piquant addition of the wine and lemon juice makes it a cousin of some sort to Chicken Picata.  

Chicken Almondine

8 chicken breasts, skinned and boned

3 eggs

1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

2 tsps. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

3 cups dried bread crumbs

2 cups sliced almonds

½ tsp. tarragon, crushed

8 tab. (1/2 cup) butter

4 tab. salad oil
1 tomato, skinned and sliced, julienne style
3 green onions & green tops, sliced into 
              1/2 inch pieces 

2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine

2 tab. lemon juice
1 cup cream or half and half, at room temperature

3 tab. minced parsley

lemon wedges for garnish

parsley for garnish
4 cups steamed white rice

      -Using the bottom of a small saucepan, slightly flatten chicken breast between 2 sheets of waxed paper.  (If breasts are large and thick, slice them
horizontally, in which case you do not need to flatten them.)  Set aisde.

      -For batter:  In a blender combine eggs, flour, milk, lemon peel, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.  Cover and blend until smooth.  Place chicken in large shallow dish and pour batter over chicken.  Stir until chicken is completely coated.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

    -Combine bread crumbs (Panko preferred), almonds, remaining teasoon of salt and tarragon on a large tray or pan.  Remove chicken from batter, one piece at a time and coat evenly in bread crumb mixture on both sides.  Set aside on waxed paper in single layer.

    -In large skillet, melt 2 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until foamy.  Add 4 chicken breasts and saute 5 minutes on each side, over meium high heat, turning once.  Remove and set in oven proof dish then place in oven set to 300 degrees to continue cooking so meat is cooked through.  Continue the same process, adding 2 more tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil to the saute pan.   As breasts are sauted until golden, add them to the others in the pan in the oven.

     -Remove any burnt bits of almond or coating from the saute pan.  Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and saute onions and tomato about 5 minutes, until soft.  Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of  flour and stir to incorporate.  Pour in chicken broth and lemon juice and heat to a simmer, reducing liquid for about 5-8 minutes.  Pour in cream and remaining 2 tablespoon of butter. Sitr and heat until mixture is thickened and creamy.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in parsley.

    -Pile rice in center of a large serving platter.  Pour half the sauce over the rice.  Place chicken breasts on top of rice and pour remaining sauce over the chicken.  Garnish with additional parsley and toasted almonds.  Serve immediately.  Serves 8.

                 Marinate chicken in batter.

                                       Coat chicken breasts in breadcrumb/almond mixture.

                                                                            Saute chicken breasts in buter and oil until golden.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**For garnish, I like to use aboout 1/2 cup whole, skinned almonds, friend until golden in a bit
    of butter.

**They grow those birds large these days!  Depending on the size of the breasts, you can cut 
    them in half, horizontally, which provides 1 serving (4 oz.).  That way you don't have to 
    flatten the meat and you can get by with 4 large chicken breasts, instead of 8 as indicated in 
    the recipe.