Last Nights Dinner

Last nights dinner.
I had some house smoked (pecan) salmon that I needed to use.  Thought about doing pizza with it but that was more work than I wanted.  So, as the mind turned, thought about pasta.  I had some frozen shrimp stock and few asparagus spears on hand.
There is not a defined recipe for this dish, but it is easy and and would work without the shrimp stock.
I reduced 3 cups of shrimp stock to a 1/2 cup.
Added 3 cups heavy cream.
Reduced the cream by 1/2 with a little dried basil.

While that was going on, I lightly sauted some thick sliced mushrooms and then turned off the heat and let them sit.
I blanched off the asparagus in the boiling pasta water and shocked it in ice water to stop the cooking.  When the asparagus was cold I cut it into lengths and added it to the mushrooms.
While the farfalle was cooking I chunked up the pecan smoked salmon and added it to the mushroom mixture.
When the farfalle was cooked I shocked it to stop the cooking process.
So at this stage the cream reduction is ready.
I reheated the mushroom, asparagus and smoked salmon mixture and added it into the hot the cream reduction.
I seasoned this with a little black pepper.
I reheated the farfalle by putting it into boiling water and then draining it.
The farfalle was added into the cream mixture stirred once or twice and voila.  Dinner was ready.
Pecan smoked salmon, mushrooms and asparagus in a shrimp, cream reduction sauce with farfalle.
Served with crusty bread.
Ummmm.

Until next time.
Happy Cooking and Eating
Chef Leslie Bartosh

Caramelized Chipotle Chicken

This recipe came from the now defunct Gourmet Magazine.  It normally calls for 2 chickens cut up.  I like things kind of "saucy" so I use only 1 chicken.  For the Healthy Cuisine class we modified the recipe some so the recipe would have a healthier profile.
I will give the original recipe and note our changes at the end of the recipe.

Caramelized Chipotle Chicken

Yield: six servings

¼ c Extra Virgin Olive Oil

8 ea large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (1/2 c)

2 medium onions, (2 c)

1 c ketchup

2 T Dijon mustard

2 T packed dark brown sugar

¼ c chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo

1 T lee and Perrins

2 T cider vinegar

½ t cinnamon

2 whole chickens cut into 8 pieces each

Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until it shimmers.

Cook garlic, stirring constantly, until golden, and then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Add garlic and remaining ingredients, except chicken to skillet with 1 t salt and ½ t pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425˚ with rack in middle.

Coat chicken with half of the sauce, then roast, skin side up, in a 17 x 11 inch 4 sided sheet pan for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and brush with remaining sauce, then continue roasting until chicken is cooked through and well browned in spots, 20 – 25 minutes more.

Notes:  one batch sauce is best for only one chicken if you like things saucy.

Sauce can be prepared one day in advance and chilled.

Modifications to recipe:

1 chicken instead of 2

Reduce olive oil to 3 Tbsp (cuts 25% of olive oil from recipe.

Remove skin from chicken before cooking, this removes 30% of the fat from the chicken.

Cook chicken on a roasting rack.

Hope you enjoy.

Until next time.

Happy Cooking and Eating

Chef Leslie Bartosh

Leonard Pringle Memorial Service

I had the "pleasure" to attend the memorial service for Chef Leonard Pringle today.  There were many people there.  Faculty and students. 
I do not know what I expected.  I was deeply moved by the amount of people there.  It is clear that Leonard will be missed by a great many people.  He touched many lives.

Ernest and all who were involved; thank you.

Best regards
Chef Leslie Bartosh

Blue's Birthday

In addition to the pink flamingos and live music, student activities also provided food for the celebration.  A couple of our culinary students helped student activities with the food for Blue's birthday bash.

                                            left to right Zach and Stephanie.  Well done!
Chef Bartosh

Gluten Free Bread Pudding

When we did this recipe in lab we used a box of gluten free bread mix.  The students did not like the texture of the bread by itself.  But, they thought it was pretty good in bread pudding form.

 

Gluten Free Bread Pudding

Yield: 24 portions

2 cups almonds, sliced

16 c gluten free bread

4 c heavy cream

4 c milk

2 c sugar

12 ea eggs

4 ea lemons, zest from

2 tsp vanilla

Toast sliced almonds in an oven heated to 325 degrees F for 5 – 8 minutes or until golden.  Reserve.

Combine cream, milk, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla.

Add cubed bread and toasted almonds, mix to combine.  Let stand for 10 – 15 minutes, then place into a buttered hotel pan.

Set the hotel pan in a water bath with water half way up the side and bake for 60 minutes in a 300 degree oven.

Notes:

If you read the recipe, you will have noticed that the recipe does not include any raisins.  The recipe as printed works well but it uses lemon zest as one of the primary flavors.  In Texas, typically bread pudding is going to use vanilla, brown sugar, and perhaps pecans and raisins as primary ingredients.  When we prepared our bread pudding we omitted the lemon zest and replaced it with extra vanilla, some brown sugar and the raisins.  It worked out quite well.
If you want a leaner version you can replace the heavy cream with half and half or even just use all milk.  Of course the eggs could be replaced with egg substitute and the recipe would work too.

Hope you enjoy.

Until next time:
Happy Cooking and Eating
Chef Leslie Bartosh

Alternative Pizza Crust

As the title says this makes a nice alternative to the usual flour based pizza crust.  As seems to be the case these days, this recipe came from Pinterest.com.  We did it in class and it worked pretty well.
Please read note at the end of the recipe about toppings.

 

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Serves 2;

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)

pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings*

Directions:

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.

One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

Enjoy!

Note:

The toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.

If you do not have a broiler you can place the pizza back into a 500 degree oven to finish melting the cheese.

Hope you enjoy.

Until next time.
Happy Cooking and Eating
Chef Leslie Bartosh

Vegetarian Boudin Sausages

I previously posted a photo of the vegetarian Boudin sausage we made in class.  I wanted to post a couple of more photos and the recipe as well.  I found this recipe on, yes you guessed it, Pinterest.
The recipe came from this web site:
http://chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com/2012/03/vegetarian-boudin-sausage.html
The recipe works well.  I agree with the author that it needs to be served on a hot bun of some sort with the sauteed onion, peppers and "Nawlins Sauce".  It is a little sweet without the accompaniments.

So here you go:

Vegetarian Boudin Sausage
(Makes six large sausages.)

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano,
sea salt, and cracked black pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups (dry-packed) smoked sun dried tomatoes*
1 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

Heat the canola oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery to the pan. Cook until the onion is translucent and beginning to brown. Add the thyme, red pepper, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the wine and allow the mixture to reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove pan from the heat and place the cooked vegetables into the work bowl of your food processor. Add the parsley and sun-dried tomatoes. Pulse the mixture eight to ten times or until everything is finely chopped yet still distinct. Place the mixture into a large bowl along with the cooked rice and vital wheat gluten. (The wheat gluten is the binder that will hold the sausages together.) Mix it all vigorously by hand for at least two minutes.


Pull out six pieces of foil in 
four-inch sections. Place a 1/2 cup portion (for smaller sausages, use 1/4 cup) on each foil and form it roughly into a log shape. (No need to be too precise.) Roll the foil into a tube and twist the ends like a Tootsie Roll; each sausage should be between four and five inches long. Repeat the process until all of the mixture has been used. Place foil-wrapped sausages into a steamer basket and steam them for 45 minutes. (My steamer is just a metal colander that fits nicely into my stockpot.) They will plump and take shape when steamed. Remove sausages and allow them to cool completely. 


When ready to serve, brush each sausage with canola oil before grilling. Grill on high for two to three minutes per side or until well-marked. Serve on a warm French roll with sautéed peppers and onions, plenty of N'awlins sauce, and celery leaves for garnish. 

N’awlins Sauce

Yield 1 cup, 16 servings

10 2/3 tablespoons vegan mayo

5 1/3 tablespoons mustard

2 2/3 teaspoons vegetarian Worchestershire

5 1/3 dashes hot sauce

Combine all ingredients well and chill

NOTES:
You can easily alter the heat of this sausage by adding more red pepper or even some form of pepper sauce.  
Alter the smokiness by increasing the amount of smoked paprika.
Alter the heat and smokiness in one step by using some of the tomato sauce from canned chipotle chile in  adobo sauce


Until next time
Happy Cooking and Eating
Chef Bartosh

Leonard Pringle

It is with heavy heart that I pass on that Leonard Pringle of San Jacinto Community College has apparently died from a heart attack.  Leonard, rest in peace my friend.
Leslie Bartosh

Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken

Yesterday I kind of deviated from my path of posting photos and recipes from this years Healthy Cuisine class.  So to get back on track.
Here is a recipe for Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken.  The recipe really works well.  I found the recipe on Pinterest.  It appears the recipe was originally posted on the following blog:
http://www.nutmegnanny.com/2011/07/27/honey-spiced-glazed-chicken/

 
Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken



1 package boneless skinless chicken thighs (you should get about 8 thighs per package)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Mix spices together and set aside.
Mix honey and cider vinegar and set aside.
Un-tuck chicken thighs so they are flat and trim excess fat.
Cover both sides in seasoning, set flat onto sheet pan. When all chicken as been seasoned put under broiler*
Cook for 5-7 minutes on one side and flip.  Cook for a 5-7 minutes on other side.  Flip again and then baste the chicken in honey/cider mixture.  Be sure to really get the chicken covered.  Add to oven again and let it cook under the broiler for a few minutes until the honey starts to thicken up and glaze. It may smoke a little but this is completely normal.
* If you have a gas oven and your broiler is at the bottom you can bake the chicken at 400 degrees for about 15 – 20 mins.
Note:
Trim the chicken well to minimize fat.

Hope you enjoy.
Until next time.
Happy Cooking and Eating
Chef Leslie Bartosh

gluten free fried chicken

Since posting the gluten free pizza recipe yesterday, I received a couple of positive emails about teaching gluten free dishes as a part of our class.  One of the emails in particular talked about how nice it will  be to be able to make gluten free pizza at home on occasion.  In the spirit of making some of life's pleasures available to all, here is a recipe for gluten free fried chicken.  For a variety of reasons we did not make this recipe this year.  But I well remember how good it was last year.

This recipe is by Ina Pinkney, chef/owner of Ina's in Chicago.
When we did the recipe in class we used boneless chicken.  If you do so adjust your cooking time appropriately.  And you can always check for internal temperature (165 degrees F) to insure your chicken is done.

GLUTEN-FREE FRIED CHICKEN  

Yield: 4 - 8 servings

White rice flour 2.5 Lb

Brown rice flour 2.5 Lb

Tapioca flour (or tapioca starch) 2.5 Oz

Potato starch 1.75 Oz

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed

Garlic powder as needed

Buttermilk 1 qtl

Chickens, 3- to 3 1/2-lbs, cut into 8 pieces, 2 each

Egg whites, lightly beaten 6 each

Canola oil, transfat-free, high oleic as needed

Instructions:

1. To make coating mixture, combine white and brown rice flours, tapioca flour and potato starch. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and reserve.

2. Combine buttermilk with 3 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper. Marinate chicken from 4 to 12 hours, refrigerated, then remove from marinade and drain thoroughly.

3. Dredge chicken pieces in coating mixture, then dip into egg whites. Return pieces to flour mixture, packing it on, then gently shake off excess.

4. Fry chicken, skin-side down, in 275-degree F oil. Fry pieces untouched for 10 to 12 minutes to allow crust to set up.

5. Continue cooking chicken pieces to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15 to 18 minutes total for wings, 20 minutes total for legs and thighs and 20 to 25 minutes total for breasts. Drain on a rack and serve.

As always, I hope you enjoy.

Until next time.

Happy Cooking and Eating

Chef Leslie Bartosh

Chef Franchesca Bland

Welcome back Chef Bland.  The class has really been looking forward to their garde manger class with you.

Chef Leslie Bartosh

Crispy Thin Crust Gluten Free Pizza Recipe

WE do a fair amount of gluten free cooking as a part of Principles of Healthy Cuisine. 
This GF pizza recipe is one of the items we used as inspiration. 
The recipe came off of Pinterest.com.  Unfortunately, I did not pin it and can not find it right now.  I wish I could, so I could give credit where credit is due.
So....I hope you enjoy.  We made ours with pepperoni, fresh mushrooms and fresh mozzarella cheese and our house made sauce.

Crispy thin crust GF pizza

Dough:
* vegetable or olive oil for greasing baking sheet
* 3/4 cup superfine rice flour
* 1/3 cup potato starch
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
* 1-1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup warm water
* 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
* 1 Tablespoon olive oil
* sweet rice flour

* 1/2 cup prepared tomato sauce
* 1-1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* your choice of toppings (optional)
* 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 1/8 teaspoon dried basil leaves
* salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and generously grease a 12-inch or larger round baking sheet with your choice of oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the rice flour, potato starch, sugar, xanthan gum, yeast, and salt.  Mix well and set aside.
In a large bowl (or in the bowl of your electric mixer), combine the water, vinegar and oil and mix on the lowest speed of your electric mixer.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix for one minute.
Use a wet spoon to transfer dough to a baking sheet.  Sprinkle generously with sweet rice flour and use your hands to press out into a 12-inch circle, adding more sweet rice flour as needed.   Set aside in a warm area and let rise for 20 minutes. 
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. 
Top pizza with tomato sauce and cheese.  Sprinkle with the crushed red pepper, basil and salt.  Place in the oven and bake an additional 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese has browned.

Makes one 12-inch pizza.

Until next time

Happy Cooking and Eating

Chef Leslie Bartosh

Bad Weather and Garde Manger Class

Everyone drive careful in the stormy weather.
Take your time, slow down and arrive alive.
Garde manger class will start today at 5:00 PM.
Looking forward to having Chef Bland back for the class.
Chef Bartosh

Viva la Cake Balls Bakery and Catering 2nd location

Chef Mary Bass, one of our instructors, is opening a 2nd location for one of her companies: 
Viva la Cake Balls Bakery and Catering.

The new location is in Santa Fe, Texas at 12494 Highway 6.

I hope you will support her business.
She is a former student, an instructor in our program and an inspiration to our students as an entrepreneur and chef.

 

Please share this on Facebook and with your friends and family!

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/367967933241449/#!/events/367967933241449/ 

Mary, I know you will do well.


Until next time.
Happy Cooking and Eating
Chef Bartosh

An alternative breakfast sausage patty

We always make a couple of different types of sausages in our Healthy Cuisine class.  This is one is based on skinless, boneless, chicken meat..  It really isn't hard to bone a chicken.  You just need a boning knife or even a sharp paring knife.  It makes a nice alternative to pork breakfast sausage.  It uses apple for moistness.  This year we baked the sausage patties though they can also be pan fried.

Chicken Apple Sausage

Yield:  150 ounces approximately

4ea                   Chickens, boned, meat only.

1 ea                  Onion, yellow, large, small dice

3 ea                  Granny smith apple, large

8 ea                  Garlic clove, minced

Salt, to taste

Pepper, black or white to taste

Process chicken in food processor.  Don’t over process it.  Just chop it up, pulsing the processor as needed to ensure a uniform consistency and no big pieces.  Scrape down sides as needed.  Process chicken in batches as needed.

Sauté onion and garlic until transparent. 

Cool and mix into chicken.

Grate Apple and mix into chicken.

Season.

Notes:

The onion and garlic can also be combined with the the chicken meat prior to processing the meat if desired.

You can add a little rubbed sage to this sausage if you want something a little closer to a traditional breakfast sausage.

Cook a small sample to determine the seasoning.

So, there we go.  More than one way to enjoy sausage for breakfast or any other meal.  Hope you enjoy.  Feel free to contact me with questions or comments about this or any other recipe.

Until next time,

Happy Cooking and Eating

Chef Leslie Bartosh