Shrimp Recipes: Ravioli Recipe! Shrimp Ravioli With Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce

Shrimp Recipes: Ravioli Recipe

 

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Who didn't grow up loving Ravioli? We all did! Did you eat homemade Ravioli? I did!  What was your favorite Ravioli recipe? Mine was always the seafood Ravioli recipe made in my house made with either lobster or crab and even clams! Over the years I have eaten tons of Ravioli and I have made tons of Ravioli to boot! I love shrimp recipes as well and I will eat shrimp anything if I can get my hands on it.

I had sat around for the better part of the week trying to think about what I wanted to cook for my video and blog post this week and I was really having a hard time trying to think of something to make. I know that sounds strange in a world full of food and recipes that could reach the moon a hundred times over. I guess I wanted to get my hands dirty and dig in a bit that is why I finally landed on a Ravioli recipe!

Well in today's economy things like lobster and crab can get costly for making things like a Ravioli recipe. Now of course if you can get lobster or crab on sale then it's all good! I am always looking for sales! So this week I decided to make you a Ravioli recipe. This week I am making shrimp ravioli with a lovely tomato vodka cream sauce.


This is a wonderful recipe that is easy to make and easy on the wallet! This Ravioli recipe can be made with shrimp, crab, lobster and even surimi or a combination of any of the above! Sure I know lot's of people just go out and buy frozen ravioli but that is nothing like making your own Ravioli recipe catered to your tastes! So let's take a look at how to make Shrimp Ravioli With A Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce! NOTE: I make the ravioli's beforehand and I put them in the fridge to chill while I make the sauce. When the sauce is done I make sure to have the boiling water needed to cook the raviolis quickly so I can plate them and add sauce!

Ingredients For Ravioli:
1Lb Cooked shrimp.
2 packs of won ton wrappers.
1 Cup Ricotta cheese.
6 Cloves of garlic minced fine.
3-4 Tbsp fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
1 Cup Mozzarella cheese.
1 Cup fresh finely chopped basil.
A pinch of dried Greek or Italian oregano bulbs.
You will need a plastic cutting board, a plate and a fork for scoring the ravioli if you decide to do that.

Make Quick Seafood Stock:
Pour the water from the bag of defrosted cooked shrimp into a bowl. Then squeeze out the excess water from the shrimp into the bowl as well. Squeeze the shrimp gently it is not going to be a lot of water but enough for this quick stock. Then take the water from the shrimp and add 2-3 Tbsp. of Clam Juice and place in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer add some black pepper and reduce to about 2 to 3 oz of fluid depending on how much water was in the bag of cooked shrimp. Now allow the stock to cool and add 1-2 Tbsp. of cream and stir it in and bring to a simmer and reduce a bit then take off heat and cover it and put it aside. This will be added to the sauce later on.

Method For Making Ravioli:
1. Drain the water from the bag of cooked shrimp and put aside.
2. In a food processor grind the shrimp to a rough consistency.
3. Once the shrimp has been ground find a large bowl and put the shrimp in it.
4. Now one by one add your ricotta cheese, garlic, Parmesan, basil, mozzarella, oregano, salt and black pepper to taste and mix it up with either a spoon or by hand. Mix it up well.

Now take some of the filling and put it in the middle of a won ton wrapper and then take a little water on your fingertip and spread on the won ton wrapper and fold the wrapper in half and press the ends together and make sure you squeeze out all of the air from the ravioli because if your don't they will pop in the boiling water. Place your finished ravioli's on a plate. When you are finished making all of your ravioli's put a damp towel or paper towel over them and put in the refrigerator for about an hour to chill as they cook better this way.(See Video) Go make the sauce now. When it comes time to cook the ravioli's you won't cook them in a rolling boil but rather a gentle rolling boil for about 6 to 10 minute to make sure that the won ton wrappers cook and the filling cooks completely!

Ingredients For The Sauce:
I used two cartons of Pomi imported Roma tomatoes from Parma, Italy! one carton strained and one carton chopped. I love this product!
4-6 Cloves of garlic finely minced.
1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil.
1 Medium onion finely chopped.(I used Onion Confit)
1 Tbsp. Greek or Italian oregano bulbs crushed.
Just about 1 Tsp. of red pepper flakes for flavor not heat.
1-2 Tbsp. Honey or sugar as an acid balancer.
The quick seafood stock from recipe above.
1/4 to 1/2 cup cream to lighten the sauce and add flavor and richness. How light you want the sauce is up to you hence the measurment.

Optional: 2-4 Anchovy fillets melted into the olive oil before proceeding with making the sauce.
Salt and black pepper to taste.

Method For The Sauce:
1. In a large skillet or large sauce pot add your olive oil and heat it up and then add your chopped onion to the oil with a pinch of salt to sweat the onions.

2. Once the onions have softened add your garlic and saute for 1-2 mins until soft.
3. Add your tomatoes and oregano and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.
4. After about 30 minutes add your honey and mix it in well.
5. Now add your vodka slowly and stir in well. Let cook 3-5 minutes to burn off alcohol.
6. Now add your quick seafood stock from recipe above and mix in well.
7. Now add your cream slowly and mix it in well.
8. Add pinch of red pepper flakes.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Continue to simmer real low and real slow while you go and cook the raviolis.

Optional: Add Anchovy fillets to the olive oil and let them breakup before adding other ingredients.
Eat and enjoy!

Indian Recipes? Chicken Curry? Chicken Vindaloo!

Chicken Curry: Chicken Vindaloo

 

[caption id="attachment_1667" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Chicken Vindaloo Click To Enlarge"][/caption]

Have you ever had Chicken Vindaloo? I have never had Chicken Vindaloo either until this last week! Now it is one of my favorite Indian recipes to make!  It is a delicious chicken curry that fills the senses with aromas and the taste buds with flavors! If you like layers of flavor in the foods you eat then Indian recipes are the way to go!  About two weeks ago I made a recipe called Fresh Spring Onion Pesto for a pasta dish I was doing for this blog. One of my readers and fellow foodies is a guy named Sean and he has a Youtube channel called Seans food. Sean and I are pretty friendly and we communicate often. I respect his cooking ability and dishes and vice verse!

He had left a comment on the dish and said something along the line of "There you go again Rich, another recipe packed with flavor! I bet you like curries don't you? Have you ever had any Indian recipes? Do you know what  Chicken Vindaloo is?" I told him that I do love curry recipes although I have not made very many of them. So then he came back and said I should try to make a chicken curry recipe called Chicken Vindaloo! This is one of manyIndian recipes popular in England where my friend Sean come from. In fact he tells me that Indian recipes are amongst the most popular foods to eat in all of England and that the image of fish and chips is not really how it is at all!

I asked him what kind of chicken curry dish Chicken Vindaloo was and he explained that it was the popular dish eaten by the lads after a hard night of drinking and partying. Well, I was all in for that! I have had many nights of hard partying and some busted up mornings as well in my lifetime so as far as Chicken Vindaloo is concerned I was all in!

So I took it upon myself to do some research on Indian recipes with a focus on Chicken Vindaloo. I come to find that Chicken Vindaloo is not a chicken curry dish that is native to Indian recipes at all. Chicken Vindaloo is a dish that currently hails from Goa and in the part of India where meat is eaten it is a staple of Indian recipes.

I thought it was an interesting fact that the word Vindaloo in Chicken Vindaloo comes from the Portugese language called "Carne de Vinha d' Alhos". This traditional variation of Chicken Vindaloo was made of pork with wine and garlic and that was it!  Over time this dish became an Indian recipe that became the chicken curry dish we call Chicken Vindaloo today!

The dish was changed over time with the addition of vinegar and the subtraction of wine. Also The addition of multiple spices and of course chili pepper for the heat! Traditonally, Chicken Vindaloo is not served with potatoes. Potatoes are something that was added to this chicken curry dish in modern times. The potatoes are used as a thickener and yield enhancer to increase the volume of the dish for sale in restaurants.

So this past week I took it upon myself to learn how to make Chicken Vindaloo! I must say that this is the best chicken curry dish that I have ever had! So please sit back and relax and watch the video. If you are not familiar with Indian recipes and even if you are then you will love this Chicken Vindaloo made my way! Watch and enjoy!



Ingredients For Marinating Process
2 Lbs Chicken thighs cut into chunks.
2 Cups slivered onions.
4 to 8 whole chilies or the equivalent amount in crushed red chilies it all depends on how HOT you like your vindaloo.
4 to 6 cloves of garlic.
1 or 2 Inch piece of ginger peeled and sliced up a bit for processing.
3 Tbsp onion confit. If you don't have any just puree about half a medium onion to put into marinade.
1/4 to 1/2 Cup of White wine vinegar or sherry vinegar for the marinade.
Light squeeze of lemon juice.

Ingredients For Dry Spice Mix:
1 Tsp. Garam Masala.
1 Tsp. Paprika. Not smoked or sweet paprika. Regular paprika. It is used for some color not flavor.
1 Tsp Ground cloves.
3/4 Tsp. Ground Cardamon.
1 1/4 Tsp. Cinnamon.
1/2 Tbsp. Freshly crushed black pepper.
1 1/2 Tbsp. Cumin.
1 Tsp Coriander.
1 1/4 Tsp. Mustard Seeds
3 Tbsp. Honey
4 Tbsp. Olive oil or Ghee.

Method:
1. Take your chilies or crushed chilies, garlic, and ginger and put it into your white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar stir it up well then squeeze some fresh lemon juice into it and let sit for about an hour.

2. After the marinade sits for one hour you can either pour it over your cut up chicken thighs or you can do what I did which was to place the marinade in a food processor and blend it up and then pour it over your cut up chicken things and allow to marinate for minimum of one hour in the refrigerator. I let my chicken marinate for four hours to really suck up those flavors from the marinade! Yum!

3. Now for the dry spice mix take your clove powder, cumin, cardamon, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, garam masala, and coriander and put them in a bowl and mix them up completely with a whisk!

4. Now after your dry spice mix(your curry is made) Make some simple white rice with some salt and black pepper and put it aside when it is finished. Your Chicken Vindaloo will go on top of the rice.

5. Get a large skillet I like using an All Clad Non-Stick skillet that I love and heat your oil or ghee in it and add your mustard seeds to the skillet. Eventually the seeds will start to pop like popcorn. Once this happens add your slivered onions and and touch of salt and sweat the onions down til you get some browning to them.

6. Once the onions are golden brown it's time to add your marinated chicken using all the juices that accumulated with it and stir it about the skillet for a few minutes getting the chicken and the onions mixed well.

7. Add your dry spice mixture and a pinch of salt and mix the curry into the chicken and onions well. Cook in open skillet for about three minutes continually mixing then add your honey and stir it in then cover the skillet with it's lid and simmer the Chicken Vindaloo

8. Let the Chicken Vindaloo simmer in the skillet until the chicken is done and the curry it is cooking in is nice and thick! Don't forget to stir the vindaloo every so often.

9. Prepare plates or bowls with your rice and then just spoon the Chicken Vindaloo over the rice and serve!
Enjoy!

Braciole Recipe: Flank Steak Made The Italian Way! A Godfather's Dish!

Flank Steak: Braciole Recipe

 

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The Braciola! A classic Italian/Sicilian dish! The dish of the Godfather! I love Braciola! If you are making more than one Braciola flank steak then it is called Braciole in the plural. Where I come from in New York, we just call it Braciole no matter how many we are making. Flank steak recipes come from all over the world, the roulade from France, and the rolladen from Germany for instance. In the long run the Braciole recipe of Italy is my favorite flank steak recipe.

The simple Italian Braciole recipe is made by pan searing thin beef slices or flank steak in some olive oil in a skillet or saute pan and then serving it with a simple salad or boiled or roasted potatoes. This is the very basic Italian rustic Braciole recipe. In the American Italian culture in the U.S.A. Braciole is still the name given to this flank steak recipe. This Braciole recipe is also made with chicken, pork, beef and it is even prepared with swordfish. These meats and fish are then rolled up with breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs and spices and then seared in a cast iron skillet. The Braciole recipe the classic flank steak recipe of Italy is also made in Sicily and is called Bruciuluni, Involtini or Rollatini. The name Rollatini is a regional name in parts of the United States but it not a true Italian word. Rollatini is most often made just using flank steak and does not get involved in using chicken or pork to make it.

The Braciole recipe is generally cooked with other meats or sausages in a sauce or ragu. In certain parts of the east coast we call the Braciole recipe a "Sunday Gravy". The Braciole recipe can be made outside of tomato sauce and coated in flour and breadcrumbs and pan seared and then roasted in the oven eggplant and other vegetables. There is no clear cut died in the wool way to make a Braciole recipe. A Braciole recipe can be eaten as either a main course with pasta which is the way I like to do it or it can be served as a side dish. My Mom says it's great for breakfast and yes if you are thinking about it a good Braciole recipe makes a killer sandwich for lunch!

In Italy Involtini is the name given to the Braciole recipe that we make here in the states. Involtini are thin slices of beef most of the time although chicken or pork can be used and they are stuffed full of cheese and egg, sausage, mushrooms and hot red pepper flakes for the heat which is the way the Sicilians like it. Other ingredients like pignoli or pine nuts and spinach or arugula are used as well. Involtini is the name given to multiple Involtinos and they are kept together with toothpicks and cooked in and served in the desired sauce of the day whether that sauce is a red or white sauce. The Involtini or Braciole recipe gives fantastic flavor to the sauce and then that sauce is used to toss the nights pasta!

As a kid I ate my mom's Braciole recipe for years. In my house my mom made her Braciole recipe using flank steak and stuffed it with any number of things and it was always delicious!  I felt that I would like to make my own Braciole recipe for my readers and viewers of my blog. Enjoy the video!



Ingredients For Sauce Step One For This Recipe:

I used 2 cartons of Pomi Brand Roma Tomatoes 1 carton strained and 1 carton chopped plus one 14.5oz stewed/sliced italian Roma tomatoes.

8 Cloves of garlic minced.

2 Tbsp of my homemade onion confit. You can use 1/2 to 1 whole onion finely chopped.

1 small piece of bacon or pork shoulder or pork based sausage to contrast the flavor of the beef and slow down the sauce sticking to the sides of the sauce pot.

2 Tbsp. dried Greek oregano bulbs or more to taste.

2 Tbsp. dried basil or more to taste.

1 Tsp. red pepper flakes for flavor and not heat.

2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil.

1 Tsp. Salt.

2 Tbsp. Sugar or honey to cut the acid from the tomatoes. I used honey. (see video)

Method For Making The Sauce:

1. Pour all of your tomatoes into your sauce pot and then bring to a boil. Once at a boil bring to a simmer.

2. Add all of the other ingredients one at a time and stir them into the sauce well before adding the next ingredient.

3. Allow this sauce to simmer for at least 30 minutes. At end of 30 minutes stir the sauce and allow to keep simmering and while it continues to simmer go make your Braciole.

NOTE: You will need to have some artichoke hearts for searing for this dish. I use prepared hearts in a jar with water but you can use the one's in oil if you wish and frozen will work just as well.

Ingredients For Braciole:

2 1/2 Lbs minimum piece of flank steak. (flank steak is fairly tender but I use a meat mallet and gently use the flat side of the mallet on the steak first to flatten it out a bit more and then I use the textured side of the mallet gently all over the steak to break up any connective tissue and allow the meat to get really tender from the simmering.)

Olive oil to coat the meat.

Enough fresh or dried basil to cover the flank.

Enough fresh or dried oregano to cover the flank.

A sprinkle of granulated garlic just enough to cover the meat.

A pinch of red pepper flakes. Just enough for flavor and not high amounts of heat.

Any kind of Italian cheese to cover the meat. Generally about a cup or 2.

2-3 Scrambled eggs scrambled loosely. They will tighten up in the simmering.

Thinly sliced ham of any kind. Enough to cover the flank steak.

Enough white flour to coat the rolled up flank steak for searing in the skillet.

4 or 5 toothpicks to hold the flank steak together while you tie up the Braciole.

1 Cup of red wine to deglaze the skillet used for searing the Braciole.

2 or more Tbsp. of Onion Confit. (Recipe for Onion Confit @ bottom of blog post)

NOTE: A Braciole can be stuffed with many different items. You don't have to use the ingredients I used. You can use sausage, prosciutto, chicken, lamb, veal, eggplant and even seafood! There are so many ways to make this dish it is really incredible!

Method For Making The Braciole:

1. Lay the flank steak out on a synthetic cutting board.

2. Pour some olive oil on the flank steak and rub it into the surface of the meat. This will help with the tenderness.

3. 2 to Tbsp Onion Confit.

4. Now use enough fresh or dried basil to cover the surface of the Braciole.

5. Now use enough oregano to cover the surface of the flank steak thinly, don't bury the meat in it.

6. A pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

7. A sprinkle of granulated garlic to cover the flank steak. You can use fresh garlic if you want depending on how much fresh garlic you put in your tomato sauce because you don't want to overpower you sauce with the taste of garlic.

8. A pinch of red pepper flakes. Just a pinch as we only want the flavor and not overpower the flank steak with the heat of the pepper.

9. Now cover the surface of the Braciole recipe with the Italian cheese of your choice.

10. Add your thinly sliced ham or meat of your choice to the surface of the flank steak. (This is my fave part of the Braciole recipe!)

11. Add your scrambled eggs to the flank steak horizontally about one inch from bottom of the flank steak so it will roll easier.

12. Now it is time to roll the Braciole recipe up. Grab the bottom one inch of flank steak and fold it over the scrambled eggs as if you were rolling sushi. Roll up the meat tightly all the way to the end.

13. Once the meat is rolled up use your toothpicks to hold the final flap of flank steak down against the roll.

14. Now that the roll is held in place with the pick get your string and tie up the Braciole recipe. Tie it firm but don't strangle the meat or end up cutting it with the string.

NOTE: Now that the Braciole is rolled up coat it in white flour and then sear the Braciole in a skillet with olive oil. Once all sides of the Braciole have been seared in the skillet and you have all those little brown bits of flavor in the pan remove the Braciole and gently put it in the sauce pot to simmer for a minimum of one hour. If you want the Braciole to really get tender simmer for two or more hours and if necessary add little amounts of beef stock to the sauce in case it is reducing to much. After about sixty minutes deglaze your skillet with the red wine and pour that into your sauce for that little extra flavor boost! It will make your sauce DELICIOUS!

About fifteen minutes before the Braciole is ready to be served cook your pasta. I used Linguine. Also sear your artichoke hearts in olive oil and salt and pepper about five minutes before serving the dish. Then remove Braciole from sauce and slice on a board. Plate some pasta and pour sauce over the pasta and then add one or two slices of the Braciole to the sauce.( the slices should be at least one inch thick minimum)Then add your artichoke hearts and serve. Enjoy!

[caption id="attachment_1646" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Braciole Recipe Click To Enlarge"][/caption]

Pesto Recipe: Fresh Spring Onion Pesto

Pesto Recipe

 

Pesto has got to be my favorite pasta sauce. There are so many varieties of Pesto it can boggle the mind! You can make Pesto out of just about anything and you can put Pesto on just about anything you want and it will make any dish more flavorful!

Pesto recipe history is not exact. Many pasta historians believe that Pesto sauce originated in Genoa, Italy in a region that is called Liguria which is Northern Italy where my old boss Mr. Mele' came from. The Pesto from that region is called "Pesto Genovese. It is your basic Pesto recipe that most of us are familiar with. Crushed garlic, basil, pine nuts all blended with olive oil and parmigiano reggiano cheese or pecorino romano cheese. Today we make Pesto in a blender or food processor but, in the old days this delicious sauce was made in a mortar and pestle. I would imagine the cooks of the day had very strong arms!

In Rome during ancient times Pestos earliest version was called Moretum and it was made in a mortar and pestle of the simple ingredients of cheese, garlic and selected herbs. Later in history the Genoans(Ligurians) would add the herb basil, pine nuts and olive oil to the garlic, cheese and other herbs to make the original Pesto Genovese!

The word Pesto is the modern word adaptation of the Italian word Pestare which means to pound. Therefore the modern word Pesto is the generic term given for anything that is made by pounding as you would with ingredients in a mortar and pestle. There are many kinds of Pesto recipes out there and some of them are the true Italian classic Pesto recipe and some are the more modern fusion style types used in fine dining and gourmet home cooking but, the most common Pesto recipe in Italian cooking is called "Pesto alla Genovese" or "Pesto Genovese." (olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, basil and cheese)

The traditional Pesto sauces use pine nuts but, I make Pesto sauces with just about any type of nut I can think of because I am just plain nuts! I love to use almonds, walnuts, pistachios and macadamia nuts in my many Pesto sauces. Most people think that Pesto is just an Italian sauce but in reality there are Sicilian versions of the original Pesto recipe as well. One such sauce is called "Pesto alla Siciliana or "Pesto Rosso" or Red Pesto! This Sicilian Pesto recipe is made with the addition of tomato and using almonds instead of the classic pine nut and this pesto recipe also used less basil then the Italian Pesto recipe calls for. Then there is a Pesto recipe from the Calabrese region of Italy called Calabria in which the Pesto recipe is made with grilled bell peppers, black pepper, basil and choice of nuts and garlic. This Pesto recipe is known to be quite spicy and can like other Pesto recipes be made in a variety of ways and styles to meet the needs of today's chefs and gourmet home cooks.


For this reason in this blog post I am doing a video on a favorite spring time Pesto recipe that I like to make and that is fresh spring onion pesto. This Pesto is made with olive oil, basil, pistachio nuts salt, pepper, garlic and of course spring onions and cheese. I made this Pesto recipe for my Youtube channel just before leaving town on vacation and now that I am back I am putting it to this blog post. This Pesto recipe is packed with flavor and can like with all Pesto recipes be made in a wide variety of styles to suit the person making it. I know that if you try this Pesto recipe you will love it!

Enjoy!



Ingredients:

1 Cup olive oil.
1 Bunch spring onions(scallions).
4 Garlic cloves or more to taste.
1/2 Cup Pistachios.
1/4 Cup fresh basil leaves.
3 oz any type Italian cheese: Pecorino Romano, Parmesano/Reggiano, Asiago etc.
1 Tsp. sugar.
A pinch of oregano
Salt and pepper to taste.
Red pepper flakes to taste are optional.

Method:

1. In a food processor puree the spring onions/scallions to a desired consistency. No oil is needed in this step as there is enough water in the onions to allow the pureeing to take place. Start by pulsing the onions down to manageable texture then add some olive oil about 1/4 cup and go to blend.

2. After you have desired consistency add your garlic and pulse a few times then go to blend.
3. Now add your fresh basil leaves and add some olive oil 2 to 4 ounces and pulse them down then go to blend.
4. After all these ingredients are blended add the remaining olive oil and pulse then go to blend.
5. Now add your pistachio nuts and pulse and then go to blend. You want this pesto to be on the thick side and the nuts should be on the chunky side and the pesto a bit on the rustic end of things. (see video)

6. Add salt and pepper to taste and pulse that in. I put the salt and pepper in the pesto after it was out of the processor. The choice is yours.

7. Now add your cheese and pulse it into the pests. I put the cheese in after the pesto came out of the processor. The choice is yours.

8. Now add your oregano and pulse it into the pesto. I put the oregano into the pesto after it was out of the processor. The choice is yours.

9. When it comes time to cook something with this pesto I add some sugar to the amount of pesto I am going to use to cut any bitterness from the spring onions. This is an optional step. (see video) Some people might enjoy the slight bitter cut of the onions in this dish.

10. Eat and enjoy!

Quesadilla: My Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe

Quesadilla Recipe

 

[caption id="attachment_1575" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla - Click To Enlarge"][/caption]

I had been wanting to make this Quesdilla for some time now as it is easy and delicious! I love the Quesadilla  as a main dish or appetizer but no matter how I make it the Quesadilla is one of  my favorite comfort foods. I mean who doesn't love gooey, cheesy, melty comfort foods? Nobody that's who!

Years ago I was a bartender here in Las Vegas and I worked with a cook named Wes on my graveyard shifts. Wes was a pretty creative guy in the kitchen and sometimes he would come up with some really excellent recipes. Some would be a bit on the complex side and we would not get the OK from the owner of the bar to add it to the menu and then sometimes Wes would come up with a simple little something that was a big hit. This was the case with his Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla!

He made a Quesadilla for the boss one day and the boss loved it so much that he let us have the Quesdilla recipe on the menu. I worked graveyard shift four nights a week and we sold the hell out of those Quesadilla's! Now you would think that we just made bar food and the truth be known we did! Chicken wings and fingers, burgers and dogs. We had a small breakfast menu as well. But! When you have two guys who love to cook then watch out!

Anyway this weeks video is for my version of  the Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla recipe that Wes used to make. I am adding Southeast Asian flavors because I just love the flavors of Southeast Asia and most notably the flavors of Thailand and Viet Nam! I am also adding my very own Asian Pesto Sauce that I personally guarantee will go good on anything you put it on be it beef, chicken, fish, noodles, rice! Anything will be greatly enhanced with flavors with this sauce!  So without further adieu let's get into my Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe!


Ingredients for Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla:
A stove top cast iron griller,  or a really large cast iron pan, or pizza stone.
A package of large flour tortillas. If you are gluten free then you can find gluten free flour tortillas.
One tortilla for the Quesadilla and half of another tortilla for the second layer of this Quesadilla recipe.
As much Sambal Olek (garlic chili sauce) you would like to spread on the tortilla. I used about 5 Tbsp.
A package of any kind of cheese you like. I used Colby Jack but you can use any kind really.
A package of cooked shrimp any size you like will do. You will use 10-20 of these cut in half lengthwise.
1/2 Cup Thai Basil either sweet basil, holy basil, hoary basil any variety will work just fine.
1/4 to 1/2 Finely sliced onion. Sliced as thinly as possible.
1/2 to 1 Tbsp finely chopped lemongrass. Chopped as finely as possible.

Ingredients for Asian Pesto Sauce:
1 Cup of olive oil.
2 to 4 (depends on how hot you like) Thai Bird Chilies finely chopped seeds and all.
4 cloves garlic.
1 Tbsp finely minced ginger.
1/2 Tbsp sugar. (brown or white)
2 to 3 Tbsp of sesame tahini.
1/2 Cup Thai basil. Any kind will do.
1/2 Cup of mint.
1/2 Cup cilantro.(optional)
2 to 3 Tbsp of scallion white bulbs sliced fine.
Zest of one lime.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups of Pesto Sauce. If you want more then multiply this base recipe by any number you want!


Method for making Asian Pesto Sauce:
Make the Asian Pesto Sauce first so that the flavors of the sauce get to marry before being put on the Quesadilla!

1. Pour olive oil into a food processor or blender. I am using a Cuisinart Elite processor and I love it!
2. Now add your chilies, garlic, ginger, sugar, Tahini, sliced scallions, lime zest and blend it up in your processor or blender until it's smooth. This is your emulsion.

3. Now add your basil, mint and optional cilantro and your salt and pepper to taste and blend it together with your emulsion. This is your Asian Pesto Sauce. I make this about an hour or more in advance of making my Quesadilla to allow the flavors to marry and blend together. Put Asian Pesto in a non-metallic bowl and put aside.

Method for Spicy Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe:
1. Lay out your tortilla on a cutting board or pizza peel. I used a pizza peel.
2. Spread your chili sauce over the tortilla.
3. Cover one half of the tortilla with your cheese of choice.
4. Now cover the cheese with your shrimp. I cut the shrimp in half lengthwise to allow it to cook faster.
5. Sprinkle some more cheese over the shrimp on your Quesadilla.
6. Half of a second tortilla placed on top of the shrimp and cheese.
7. Sprinkle cheese on top of the second layer.
8. Place about 1/2 to 1 cup of basil leaves on top of the cheese.
9. Now put your finely sliced onions on top of the basil leaves. You want your onions sliced as thinly as possible.
10. Sprinkle with 1/2 to 1 Tbsp of finely chopped lemongrass.
11. Fold the other half of the Quesadilla over the half with the basil and onions and press it down.


Before you grill this Quesadilla make a salad out of any kind of lettuce or salad mix that you have on hand. Use some of the Asian Pesto Sauce as the salad dressing and mix the greens and the pesto by hand and then plate the salad. Now it is time to grill your Quesadilla.

I am using a Lodge cast iron griller for indoors use. You can use whatever you have. If you have a pizza stone that will work well and if you have an Air bake pizza stone that will work to. Place your Quesadilla down on the flat top that you have either coated with some oil or non-stick spray and let it cook for 1 to 3 minutes depending on your stove and grill medium. Then turn the Quesadilla over to the other side and cook as the first side.

When the Quesadilla is done cooking cut it up and plate 2 or more pieces with your salad and drizzle some of your Asian Pesto Sauce on you Quesadilla slices and you are ready to eat! Enjoy!

Vichyssoise: Potato Soup Served Cold The Summer Soup Of France

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Vichyssoise

 

Hi everyone! This week I am making Vichyssoise: The Potato Soup Of the Summers Of France. I am making this potato soup recipe because it is still summer here in Las Vegas, NV where I live and as such there are times when I don't want to be making something hot in my kitchen because it only adds to the discomfort that the summer heat is causing to begin with. It is for this reason that I am making my version of Julia Child's classic Vichyssoise potato soup recipe.

Many people think that Vichyssoise was created in the kitchens of France in places like Lyons, Paris or even Vichy itself! Alas this is not the case! The classic potato soup recipe was actually created in New York City during the beginning of the 20th century. The man credited for the creation of Vichyssoise was named Chef Louis Diat and he died in 1957. Chef Diat worked for the famous Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manhattan, New York.

At that time the Ritz-Carlton corporation was going to be opening up a new restaurant of the roof of the hotel as a "roof garden" restaurant. Chef Diat was the executive chef of the time and he was known for making a potato soup recipe of potatoes and leeks that was passed down to him from his mother. This potato soup recipe was going to be the soup starter that was going to be served at the opening of the roof top restaurant.

There has been some conjecture as to the creation of Chef Diat's potato recipe. Stories have surfaced that the potato soup recipe was prepared in advance of the opening of the restaurant but that it wasn't re-heated in time to be served as the first course of the dinner. Some accounts feel that Chef Diat being the Chef de Cuisine was having a moment of culinary creativity and clarity as we all do and he decided to add some cream to the potato soup recipe and serve it cold with chopped chives. Chef Diat called this potato soup Vichyssoise Glacee or Chilled Cream Vichyssoise. Vichy was the city in which Chef Diat was born and hence the name of the potato soup recipe as Vichyssoise! Many people pronounce the dish as "Vee Shee Swah" This is not correct. The correct pronunciation is "Vee Shee Swahzz"  The final "e" after the last "s" in the name creates the "zzz" sound.

So it is with this in mind that I felt to make this Vichyssoise, this classic potato soup recipe for you here this week. There are two versions of Vichyssoise. One version of this potato soup recipe is vegetarian in nature and the other version of this potato soup recipe is made with Chicken stock. I am making my version of Vichyssoise with the Chicken stock. I am adapting my version of Vichyssoise from Julia Child's classic vegetarian version of this potato soup recipe and making a couple of additions and revisions for my version. I hope you enjoy this video and I hope you try this classic French potato soup recipe.


The Ingredients:
4 Cups of sliced leeks the white part and only a little of the light green part.
1/2 Of one white or brown onion finely diced.
4 Cups of diced potatoes. I used red potatoes but you can use Yukon golds or even baking potatoes if you wish.
6 to 7 Cups of chicken stock. The same amount of water if you want to make this in the vegetarian alternative recipe.
1 to 2 Tsp of salt or to taste. In the video I add salt and pepper in stages as I build layers of flavor.
1/2 Cup or more of heavy cream, half and half, sour cream or creme fraiche as option to build creamy texture of soup.
1 or 2 Tablespoons of sour cream for garnish.
1 or more Tablespoons of chopped chives or combination of chive spears and chopped chives for garnish.
1/4 to 1/2 Stick of butter.
1 Large saucepan at least 4 quarts or small to medium stockpot with a heavy bottom.
1 Large saute pan. A 12 inch saute pan will do best.
1 Immersion blender or a regular blender.


The Method:
1. In a large saute pan melt your butter and saute your leeks and onions until soft and translucent. Add a touch of salt and black or white pepper to build flavor layer. Don't burn the butter and don't let the leeks and onion carmelize.

2. Once the leeks and the onions have softened and gotten translucent put them in a large saucepan or medium/large stock/saucepot.

3. Now add your diced potatoes to the leeks and onions in the stockpot. Add just enough Chicken stock to cover the potatoes and leeks. Bring to the boil for one or two minutes and then reduce to a simmer. Add a pinch of salt and black or white pepper for the flavor layer. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

4. Now if you have a immersion blender you can use it to puree the potatoes and leeks into your soup. If not like I did in the video I used a potato masher to "pre-puree" the potatoes and leeks so that I can use a regular blender to do the final puree of the potato soup recipe. I was able to puree all the potato soup in my pot using my blender twice. With each blender full when done pour potato soup into another pot or big bowl to be ready to be chilled before serving.

5. Once you have pureed the potato soup recipe make sure to taste it and make any corrections you want in your salt and pepper that you want to make. Allow the potato soup recipe to cool on your counter for about 30 minutes before putting the mixture in the fridge to chill.

6. Place your serving bowls in the fridge to get really cold.
7. Cut yourself some chive spears and then finely chop the rest of the chives that you wish to use as garnish.
8. Just before serving the Vichyssoise potato soup you can pour in your heavy cream, half and half, creme fraiche or sour cream to give the Vichyssoise that final creamy layer of flavor and texture and mix it in well. The Vichyssoise will take on a nice white creamy color as well.

9. When you finally put the Vichyssoise potato soup into your bowls garnish with a dollop or two of sour cream, creme fraiche, or heavy cream in the center of the bowl and then add some chive spears and chopped chives and serve!

Enjoy the soup!

Pasta Salad Recipe: Thai Inspired Pasta Salad The Flavors Of Southeast Asia

Pasta Salad Recipe

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Hi everyone! I know I have been gone for about two or three weeks now but I have been extremely busy working on my blog here at EZ Cooking. I was having some functionality issues with the site but now everything is back to normal and I am back to making cooking videos for your gastronomic enjoyment.

Here in Las Vegas, Nevada where I live the summer is winding down and the temperatures about finally below 100 degrees. The heat this year has been as high as 115 degrees which in nice and balmy to say the least! We are now in our monsoon season and last night starting at about 3:30AM we had a monster storm pass through. Lots of rain and thunder and lightning. So what this is telling us here in Vegas is that the summer is coming to a close.

So as is my policy this year as in every year I am having an end of summer get together with some friends of mine. Each year for the past few years we do this. We get together and eat and eat and eat and have a good time and then eventually the drinks catch up to us and we get pretty well trashed. Not to worry folks! I am the keeper of the keys and nobody gets out until they have sobered up and that usually means that my buds are sleeping over. They better think twice if they think I am going to cook them breakfast! If anything they are going to have to take me out for breakfast!

So we all planned to have our party yesterday 9/12/2011. Then I get the same thing that I have gotten for the last few years. "Whatcha gonna make Dick! I keep on telling them to call me Richard as Dick is just so old fashioned. I told them I am not going to make anything! I was like: "This year you slobs make something and I will  make a nice side dish to go with whatever you make." They all know I cook like religion and they all bitched and moaned about it but, in the end they agreed. I told them whatever you boneheads make it better not end up looking like something that was cooked by little green men from Mars! Believe me some of these guys don't know how to boil water let alone cook something. If it wasn't for fast food and deli counters and me most of these yobs would be dead!

So the side dish that I decided to make for this shindig is a Thai inspired pasta salad recipe. This cold pasta salad recipe is not your typical pasta salad made with mayo or mustard and relish with celery and onion or the kind of pasta salad recipes from the deli counter at the local market which is just pasta, tomato, mozzarella cheese and salami with spices and an oil and vinegar dressing. YAWN! To pedestrian for me! We here are foodies and that means that we think a little outside the box and in many cases it means we think way out of the box at times as well.

I love the flavors of Thai cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine as well and I thought these both subtle and strong flavors would make a really great pasta salad recipe! This is not Thai noodle salad as that is a totally separate dish on it's own. This is Thai Pasta salad and It is both refreshing and bracing. It encompasses the flavors of Thailand. This pasta salad recipe will be hot, sweet, salty and sour. The ingredients in this pasta salad have been chopped into very small pieces as some of the flavors can be very strong. I like strong flavors so if you make this recipe you might need to adjust the amounts of ingredients slightly to suit your needs. I hope you enjoy this pasta salad recipe.

I generally like to make the Thai Pasta Salad Dressing before I make the pasta salad recipe itself to allow the flavors of the dressing to marry before being poured over the pasta salad prior to serving.

Nuoc Cham base Ingredients:
2-4 Thai bird chilies depending on heat tolerance seeded and sliced as thin as possible.
2 Clove garlic chopped as finely as possible.
1 Inch piece of ginger peeled and chopped as finely as possible.
1-2 Tbsp of either white or brown sugar.
2 Tbsp lime juice.

****This is the Nuoc Cham base. Mix all these ingredients in a bowl and let stand for 1 to 2 hours to allow flavors to marry. Then when the flavors of this base have married it will be time to make the Nuoc Cham.

To the Nouc Cham Base add:
1/3 Cup fish sauce.
1/3 Cup rice vinegar.
2 Tbsp sesame oil.
Stir or whisk this mixture very well in preparation for pouring on the pasta salad.

Ingredients:
1 Lb Penne Rigate pasta. You can also use Rigatoni, Farfalle, Casarecci, Cellentani, or Conchiglie. All will work!
1 Cup Thai basil. 1/2 cup chopped fine the other 1/2 cup whole leaves for texture and eye appeal.
1 Bunch scallions finely sliced. Slice as thin as you can get it. Slice either straight or on the bias.
1/2 to 1 Cup depending on taste of Cilantro finely chopped.
4-6 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced into small pieces.
8-10 Cloves of garlic finely chopped. Figure 2 cloves of garlic person or more depending on tastes.
4-6 Thai bird chilies seeded and finely chopped. More or less depending on your tolerance for hot chilies.
2-3 Inch chunk of fresh ginger peeled and chopped as fine as possible.
1/2 Stalk Lemongrass. Peel the green bark off and either slice as finely as possible or chop as finely as possible.
Zest of 2 limes Kaffir or regular limes will do.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Large mixing bowl.

Method:
1. Cook pasta and then strain and put in cold water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch then strain again and put in bowl to have other ingredients put into the pasta salad.

2. Take your finely sliced scallions and mix into the pasta well.
3. Take your Thai basil and mix the finely chopped basil into the pasta salad.
4. Now take the whole Thai basil leaves and mix into the pasta.
5. Add Cilantro into the bowl with the pasta salad and mix it in well.
6. Add diced Roma tomatoes into the bowl with the pasta salad.
7. Now add in your finely chopped garlic to the pasta salad recipe.
8. Add your finely chopped Thai chilies to the pasta salad mixture.
9. Now add your finely chopped ginger to the pasta salad mixture.
10. Add your finely chopped lemongrass to the pasta salad recipe.
11. Add the zest of 2 limes to the pasta salad.
12. Add salt and pepper to taste.

You can choose to just all all the ingredients to the pasta salad recipe at one time and mix it all up together by hand and then add your Nuoc Cham dressing. I prefer to mix in one ingredient at a time to the pasta salad and mix in each ingredient separately. Some of the flavors in this recipe can be rather strong so you will need to taste and adjust according to your taste requirements. Enjoy!