Dinner Trade » Recipes by Cook

Recipe: Pork Carnitas

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:29:13 +0000

These marbled chunks of pork shoulder are first simmered to ensure they become tender, and then browned so they develop a flavorful crust.

6 pounds pork shoulder (butt or picnic roast), bone removed, meat cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 1/2 cups water

Place cubed pork, salt, and water in a deep, straight-sided 14-inch skillet. (Water should barely cover pork.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently, stirring and skimming foam from the surface occasionally, until water has evaporated completely, 55 to 60 minutes.
Once water has evaporated, pork will begin to brown in its own fat. Cook on all sides, using a spatula to turn cubes and scrape up crisp bits from the skillet, until browned and tender, about 15 minutes. Pork can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Reheat in a skillet over low heat.

Most butchers will bone and cube a whole pork shoulder for you. This tastes best when served immediately, as the crisp pork edges and browned bits soften with time.

Number of servings (yield): 8

Recipe: Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Ka Gai)

admin — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:12:39 +0000

Coconut Chicken Soup (Tom Ka Gai)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons ginger; grated
5 teaspoons red curry paste
6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
28 ounces coconut milk
1 pound chicken breasts, cut thin in strips
1/2 pound mushrooms; sliced
1 white onion, sliced
8 oz snow peas
2-3 carrots, sliced
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro

In a soup pot, heat vegetable oil. Stir in ginger and curry paste and cook one minute. Add 1/2 cup broth and stir into curry paste. Stir in remaining broth, fish sauce and brown sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Add chicken and simmer until the chicken is cooked.
Turn heat to med/low and add coconut milk and carrots. Cook on med/low for one half hour to a hour.
Add mushrooms, onions, and snow peas and continue to cook on med/low for 2-5 mins.
Add the lime juice and cilantro before serving.
Season with salt to taste at the end as a lot of the ingredients can vary in the salt.

Recipe: Chinese ham and egg fried rice

admin — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:21:19 +0000

Ingredients

1/2 c. frozen peas
3 tbsp. vegetable
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 c. boiled rice
1 tsp. salt
2 oz. boiled ham (1/4″ cubes)
1 scallion

Instructions

Prepare ahead: Place frozen peas into 4 cups boiling water and cook for 5 minutes until tender (defrost).
To cook: Set a 12 inch Wok or 10 inch skillet over high heat for 30 seconds. Pour in 1 tablespoon of oil, swirl it above in the pan and immediately reduce the heat to moderate. Pour in the beat eggs. They will form a film on the bottom of the pan almost at once. Immediately lift this film gently with a fork and push it to the back of the pan so that the still liquid eggs can spread across the bottom of the pan to cook. As soon as the eggs are set, but before they become dry or begin to brown, transfer them to a small bowl and break them up with a fork. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan, swirl it around and heat it for 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until all the grains are coated with oil. Add salt, then peas and ham; stir fry for 20 seconds. Return the eggs to the pan, add the scallions and cook only long enough to heat egg through. Serve at once.

Recipe: Corn Chowder

admin — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 23:43:20 +0000

Ingredients

6 potatoes peeled and cubed
3 carrots diced
6 tablespoons butter
2 jalapeno seeded and minced
1 red onion chopped
3 cups corn
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 ounces Canadian bacon
3 cups half and half
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine potatoes and carrots in pan with some salt and cover with water. Bring to boil and reduce heat. Cook until tender and drain.
In soup pan, melt butter. Add jalapeno, onion and corn and flour. Cook until onion is clear. Add remaining ingredients until onion is clear. Simmer 1-3 hours. add cream last hour and garnish with cheese.

Variations – Add ham to the chowder while cooking or crispy bacon as a garnish

Recipe: Pot Sticker Dumplings and Soy Vinegar Sauce

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 18:22:47 +0000

From Martha Stewart’s Website

Ingredients

Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 whole scallion, trimmed and sliced
1 hot green chili, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water

Dumplings

1/2 pound ground turkey, chicken, or pork (if using poultry, add 1 teaspoon peanut oil to the mixture)
1 cup finely chopped bok choy
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 large egg white
36 dumpling wrappers
Peanut oil, for frying

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the dipping sauce. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the turkey, bok choy, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Stir in the egg white.
Working with 6 at a time, lay down the dumpling wrappers on a work surface. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling onto each one. Lightly wet the edge of each wrapper with water. Fold the dough over and pinch around the edges. This is easiest done by picking up each dumpling and pinching around the edges with thumb and forefinger. Place on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap to keep the dumplings from drying out. Repeat until all filling is used. (Freeze any dumplings that will not be cooked immediately. After they are frozen, transfer them to a resealable plastic bag or wrap in plastic.)
To cook the dumplings, heat a large skillet and swirl some oil around to coat the pan. Add a single layer of pot stickers. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes (2 minutes longer if frozen), until they begin to turn golden on the underside. Don’t move them. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover immediately. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and the dumplings release from the pan. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Recipe: Sausage Bread Stuffing

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:23:50 +0000

From Martha Stewart’s Website

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced on the bias
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1 cup white wine
1 whole loaf bread, crusts removed, cubed (5 to 6 cups)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse salt (depends on saltiness of sausage)

Instructions

Heat a large skillet, add the olive oil, and cook the sausage, stirring and breaking it up until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Add the butter to the skillet and when it melts, add the onion and celery. Saute until the onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
Add the cubed bread to the mixture and toast and turn a bit. Stir in the cooked sausage, the chicken broth, and salt to taste and cook for 1 minute. Cool the mixture. (This can be done quickly by spreading the mixture on a rimmed cookie sheet and chilling it in the refrigerator.)
Stuff the mixture into the cavity and neck of a cooked turkey, or place it in a large buttered baking dish and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, or until browned on top and heated through.

Recipe: Brined and Oven-Roasted Turkey

admin — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:20:15 +0000

From Martha Stewart’s Website

Ingredients

Brining Liquid

2 quarts water (at the very least)
1 1/2 cups coarse salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 large red onion, sliced
1 head of garlic, smashed (8 to 10 cloves)
2 bottles white wine

Brine Add-Ins (Optional)

2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried coriander
1 tablespoon dried fennel
1 tablespoon dried cumin
1 whole cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
4 bay leaves
4 large sprigs of fresh sage

Turkey

1 16-pound turkey (approximate)
1 Sausage Bread Stuffing
Extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a 2-quart pot, bring 2 quart of water to a boil with the salt and sugar, stirring occasionally until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Cool completely and place in a clean 5-gallon bucket with the onion, garlic, wine, and any of the optional spices or herbs. Stir in the remaining water completely to combine. Add the turkey. Cover and store in a cold place for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. Turn bird occasionally.
Drain the turkey, pat dry, and bring to room temperature an hour before cooking. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Stuff the cavity and neck of the bird with the stuffing. Truss or tie the cavity closed. Tuck the wings under the breast and place in the roasting pan. Rub the bird all over with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the bird for 2 to 3 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a leg reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. After 1 hour, baste every 30 minutes with pan juices. After 2 hours, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.

Cook’s Note

Special equipment: 5-gallon bucket (for brining), trussing supplies or needle and string, roasting pan. Note: Trussing a turkey closes the cavity by either sewing the skin over the stuffing or sealing it altogether with skewers.

Recipe: Garlic Rosemary French Bread Pizza Dough

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:59:55 +0000

From Jessica Bybee

Ingredients

1 ½ C. Warm Water
1 T. Fresh Rosemary, chopped (generous T.)
2. T. Oil
1- 1 ½ T. Garlic (I used the pre-chopped stuff- if yours is fresh you will want to use less)
2 T. Sugar
1 ½ tsp. Salt
4-5 C. White Flour
1 ½ T. Gluten Flour
1 T. Yeast

Instructions

Put on a large cookie sheet that has been greased/sprayed and has a layer of cornmeal. I form into a long skinny form and use a sharp knife to cut slits in the top like the stores do. This loaf will rise large. It should be about double its size on the pan when you put it in the oven. While it is rising I keep it covered with sprayed saran wrap.
Before putting in the oven I beat 1 egg and use a basting brush to brush a layer over the top of the bread. Be gentle so it doesn’t fall.
Bake at 350 for 27-30 minutes. For normal French/white bread just don’t add the rosemary and garlic.

Pizza Dough Variation

Use the French/White Bread recipe but only use 1 T. Oil. You can take the dough out of the bread maker and just roll it right away and place on pan/stone which is covered with cornmeal. It will rise while you put your toppings on. If you are just doing sauce and cheese let it rise a little longer before putting in the oven. Bake at 400 for 20-25minutes with the toppings on. If I have a lot of veggies sometimes I will let it cook a few minutes longer.

Recipe: Breadmaker Never Fail Wheat Bread

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:51:04 +0000

From Jessica Bybee

Ingredients

1 1/3 C. Warm Water (hard water works best)
2 T. Oil (Vegetable, Canola, or Light Olive Oil)
3 T. Sugar (Honey or Brown Sugar)
1 1/3 tsp. Salt
4 C. Flour (I usually do 1 C. of white for one of them to make the bread lighter)
1 T. Gluten Flour (heaping T.)
1 T. Yeast

Instructions

Add ingredients in order on list into bread pan of the bread maker. Start and leave alone. Mine usually stops the mixing/rising cycle after about an hour so that is when I transfer it to a bread pan and let it rise while the oven heats. I keep a piece of sprayed saran wrap on top while it rises, adjusting as it gets taller, to keep the dough moist.
I let it rise about 1 ½-2 inches above the pan at its highest point before putting in the oven to cook. Bake at 350 for 26-30 minutes. (My oven is gas and I cook it for 27 minutes). Different pans may affect cook time as well.

Recipe: Orange Cream Fruit Salad

admin — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:28:29 +0000

Ingredients

1 large (5.1 oz) box of vanilla instant pudding
1 small (3.4 oz) box of cheese cake instant pudding
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate (do not add water)
1/3 cup milk
1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits (drain well)
3 cups mixed frozen berries
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup apple, pealed and cut into tidbits
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges (drain well)

Instructions

Mix pudding powder with sour cream, orange juice concentrate, and milk. This will make a thick, dough-like paste.
Add apple pieces and mix
Add pineapple and mix
Add frozen berries and mix
Add strawberries and fold
Add oranges and gently fold
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Gently fold the mixture before serving, as mixed berries will become defrosted.