Weekly Cooking Thread March 19, 2011

FreeRepublicCooks | March 19, 2011 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the 15th installment of the FR Weekly Cooking Thread.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or two - or six for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' recipe stack of Family favorites?

Here's the place to share and explore your next favorite recipe.

[Fast Moving Angel]

I tried this last weekend and it turned out GREAT.

Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi Recipe

If you want to make Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi at home here is the recipe, straight from the master chef himself, Michael LaDuke.



Shrimp Scampi

Serves 4

1 Pound of Medium Shrimp - Peel it and remove the vein.
1 Tbsp of Pure Olive Oil (don't use extra virgin oil)
2 Tbsp of Finely Chopped Garlic (you can also use some already prepared chopped garlic from your local grocery store)
1-1/2 Cups of White Wine (preferably a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay will work fine)
A 1/2 cup of Fresh Lemon (use the juice only)
1 Tsp Italian Seasoning mix
A 1/2 a Cup of Butter (preferably softened)
1 Tbsp of Fresh Parsley (chop it up fine)
Flavor with Salt and Pepper
1/2 a Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (if you want to garnish dish)

Instructions

Heat a heavy bottomed skillet and then add in the olive oil, and do not allow the oil to smoke. Add the shrimp and cook it until tender and it's no longer translucent.

Next remove the shrimp from the pan and decrease heat slightly. Add the garlic and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Try not to brown the garlic as this will render a slightly bitter flavor. Once the garlic is cooked, add the white wine.

Squeeze some juice from the lemon into the pan, and reduce the wine by half. After it is reduced, next add the Italian seasoning blend.

Now reduce the heat to low, and slowly add in butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. The butter should slowly begin to dissolve into the sauce and create a nice creamy texture. If the pan is too hot the butter will separate.

As soon as the butter is assimilated, add the shrimp back into the sauce, sprinkle the parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the dish with the garnish of fresh cheese if so desired. For a great accompanying dish to Scampi add fresh pasta.

[magslinger]

You can also saute some peppers and onion to add to the eggs or just in the burritos. I like to get frozen Three Pepper and Onion Blend. I can add a small amount to whatever I am fixing and keep the rest until the next time something needs a little kick of flavor. I use it in taco meat, soups, casseroles and hash, just to name a few.

[dnandell]

Yea! Please let me know how you like it! Like I said, it doesn’t sound like much, but boy does it taste good. =D

[Flamenco Lady]

Does anyone have a good recipe for Szechuan style twice cooked pork? It is one of my favorite things to order at chinese restaurants but I would like to find a good recipe to make at home.

[pops88]

“Bar Room Bologna - You can do the same with vienna sausages or hard boiled eggs.”

I’ve been looking for Vienna sausage recipes. I don’t know how big a “ring” of bologna is. How much Vienna sausage should be used as a replacement for bologna in the recipe?

[PalmettoMason]

Now asparagus on the other hand, how can one live without it? That would include tender stalks right out of the garden before you even hit the house.

I stumbled across something in Sam's Club the other day that might interest you. "Members Mark Marinated Green Asparagus Spears". 2 lb, 1.5 oz jar for less than $5. Very thin, tender asparagus spears pickled in a brine similar to bread & butter pickles. VERY TASTY! (I can't stay out of them!)

I have found that they make a great garnish for Bloody Marys, too.

[bgill]

Pack the jar similar to loosely packed pickles. Not tightly because the sausages are too delicate and you don't want them smooshed. Same idea with hard boiled eggs - loose. You might only want to make enough for a quart jar to decide if you like them or not. You might only want to make about 2 cups brine and add 4 cans of drained and rinsed plain flavored (not bbq or whatever) viennas. Don't forget to drain them.

Hmm, I wonder if you could do the same with large cubed Spam? Serve them as hors d'oeuvres with cheese, olives and crackers?

Ha, have you ever heard of a cat who looooves green olives? Mine does but you have to remove the pimento and pre-chew it for her (disgusting). She also loves spaghetti sauce so maybe it is the acidity. Crazy cat.

[bgill]

Had some for supper lasy night, yum.

[illiac]

It was wonderful....sure interesting....will become a mainstay at our home...THANKS!!!

[illiac]

This one may work for you.....

TWICE COOKED PORK / A SZECHUAN RECIPE

Hui Guo Rou Pork is boiled and then stir-fried in this authentic recipe from Szechuan.

1/2 lb pork
1 leek
1 green bell pepper (choose jalapeno pepper for better taste)
1 red bell pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon chili paste
1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pork, return to a boil, and then let the pork simmer for twenty minutes.
While pork is boiling, prepare the vegetables.

Wash and drain the leeks and bell peppers and cut into chunks.

When pork has finished boiling, remove and let cool. Cut the pork into thin matchbox slices.

Add the salt to the pork pieces with your fingers. Stir and mix to make sure the meat is coated.

Heat wok. When hot, add the vegetable oil.

Stir-fry the vegetables, adding the leeks first, then the green peppers and finally the red peppers. Stir-fry the vegetables until they are tender but still firm and not mushy.

Add the chili paste, soy sauce, and the pork slices.

Blend and cook together for 1 -2 minutes. Serve hot.

[Sparky21555]

BBQ season is here! Time to stoke up the smoker.

Fried Smoked Chicken

3 1/2 to 4 lbs of chicken parts
3 cups (more or less) buttermilk to cover chicken
1 1/2 tbs tabasco or other hot sauce
2 to 3 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs solid shortening (3cups)
3 tbs bacon drippings

At least 3 hours and up to 12 hours before barbecueing, place the chicken in a shallow dish. Pour in the buttermilk and hot sauce, turning chicken so it is fully coated.Cover the dish and refrigerate.

Prep your smoker, and bring temp to 200 to 220 F. The type of wood you use can have some striking variences in flavor. Use only hardwoods, never any resinous woods such as pine, the sap will produce a bitter taste. Hickory or oak work well with most meats. Fruit woods such as cherry or apple add a sweet smoky flavor. Maple is also another wood that adds a sweet flavor. If you are going to use charcoal, purchase a lump hardwood charcoal.

Drain the chicken and reserve the marinade. let it stand at room temp for about 20 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to the smoker for 35 to 45 minutes. This will be enough time to infuse the chicken with that delicious smoky flavor.

Return the chicken to the buttermilk bath. In a medium sized bag pour in the flour, salt, and pepper.

In a 12” skillet place the shortening and bacon drippings and heat over a high flame. When it starts to bubble reduce to a medium high flame.

Drain the chicken and coat each piece in the flour mix. Start with the dark meat.

Place chicken in pan so it cooks evenly. Reduce heat to medium and cover. fry 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat again to medium low and uncover the pan. Fry about another 10 to 12 minutes, or until a rich brown color.

Remove it from the oil and drain. serve it hot and enjoy!

[Flamenco Lady]

Thank you!

[Netizen]

That one is definitely an acquired taste.

[Netizen]

I may have to try that, it looks good. :)

[handmade]

I have not been able to get the pickled asparagus spears here but I had them at my daughter’s in southeast South Dakota and they are great. My nearest Sam’s is 80 miles away but I have a granddaughter living there- I will have to check on that. I agree- they are yummy.

Thanks for reminding me. I had entirely forgotten.

[magslinger]

We had a cat who would suck the pimentos out and eat them and leave the olive.

[bgill]

How funny!

[magslinger]

You didn’t dare leave a plate of nachos alone when he was around, you would return to a plate of corn chips.

[magslinger]

Thanks for posting that. A couple of years ago I made the mistake of picking up a jar of asparagus. My wife is absolutely hooked. IIRC the ones I got (from a farmer’s market held on the state capitol lawn, of all places) were kosher dill style, but Mrs Mag hasn’t shown any sign of being particular about the type. She does love bread and butter pickles.

[rightly_dividing]

I like to make pickles every season. When I do, my wife is always asking “Are you going to have any leftover juice” She then fills jars with asparagus spears, cauliflower, onions, or garlic. They are all good in either bread and butter or dill. Another thing that I bought once was pickled brussel sprouts. That sounds nasty, but I tried them and they were good.