Chasen's Chili

Ingredients:
1 red bell pepper chopped fine
1/2 onion chopped fine
1 TBS oil
1 TBS butter
1 pound ground beef
1 pound lean ground pork
1 TBS salt (additional to taste)
1 tsp pepper
2 TBS chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 large can tomato paste
2 cans black beans

Directions:
In a large sauce pan heat the oil and the butter. Add the onion and the red bell pepper. Cook 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and save.

Add more oil and butter to pan and add beef and pork mixture that has been broken in to pieces. Add salt and pepper and brown meat slightly. Return the onion and red bell pepper mixture to the pot. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin. Bring the pot to a boil. Simmer for an hour. Add the black beans.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 1 lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 by 12-inch baking dish.
Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Vanilla Bean Zabaglione with Berries

Picture from "TheItaliandishblog.com"

serves 4

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon dry Marsala wine
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split seeds scraped out
• 1 Tablespoon orange juice
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 cup blackberries
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Chambord (optional, but yummy) 

Whip the cream until it is stiff and place in the refrigerator. 

Prepare an ice bath (just a large bowl filled with ice water) and set aside.  Fill a medium saucepan with about 2 inches of water, place on the stove and bring the water to a simmer.

In a medium size stainless steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, wine, vanilla bean seeds and orange juice until blended.  Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk until the mixture is thick, about 5-8 minutes.  It can take as long as 10 minutes.  Make sure the water is just barely simmering and not boiling - you do not want to cook the eggs, but gently heat them up. 

When the mixture is thick, turn off the heat and place the bottom of the bowl in the ice bath to cool down (make sure to not get any water into the mixture).  Whisk for a couple of minutes until the mixture has cooled down. Fold the whipped cream into the mixture.  (At this point, you can refrigerate the mixture until you are ready to use it).

Place the berries, the sugar and the Chambord in a bowl and gently toss.  Divide into 4 glasses.  Top with the zabaglione.

make ahead tip:  you can make the zabaglione ahead of time (folding in the whipped cream or not) if you like and then assemble before serving.  

The Italian Dish
theitaliandishblog.com

Carmel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:
7 grams (0.25 ounces) active dry yeast (or 1 packet if you don't have bulk)
1/4 cup warm water (100-110 degrees)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening (102 grams)
1 teaspoons kosher salt
3 eggs beaten
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour (675 grams)

For the Carmel Pecan Topping:
1/3 cup of brown sugar in each of three 9 inch round baking pans
2 tablespoons butter in each pan
1 tablespoon of either light or dark corn syrup (I use a little of both) in each pan
1/4 cup chopped pecans in each pan.

Cinnamon Sugar for rolling into the dough:
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons softened butter


Directions:
Mix the yeast and warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Combine the milk, sugar, shortening and salt in a small sauce pan and warm over medium heat until sugar and shortening melt. Stir frequently. Once the milk, sugar, shortening and salt are combined and dissolved remove sauce pan from heat and let cool to room temperature. (Cooks note: I measure the temperature and proceed when it has fallen to less than 110 degrees. The main objective is to not kill the yeast.)

Once the milk, sugar and shortening have cooled sufficiently add the yeast and water mixture and the three beaten eggs. Stir to combine with a whisk.

Place the 4 1/2 cups of flour in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast, milk and egg mixture to the flour in the bowl of the stand mixer. Attach the dough hook and mix until the dough forms into a ball. If the dough is really sticky add a little flour.

Turn the dough out onto your counter top and knead for about 6-8 minutes. The dough should feel nice and elastic.

Grease a bowl that will hold the ball of dough and have sufficient room to allow for a doubling in volume. The bowl should be greased with a little canola oil to prevent the dough from sticking. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place and allow to rise for 90 minutes.

while the dough is rising prepare the carmel pecan topping.
To each of three 9 inch baking pans add brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Place on stove and heat over medium heat until the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup melt and combine. Once all three have melted into a single mixture add 1/4 cup of chopped pecans to each pan.

Prepare and mix the cinnamon sugar topping.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

After the dough has doubled in volume (about 90 minutes), punch the dough down and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Roll the dough to a rectangle 36 x 8 inches. This is approximate. Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter and then spread the cinnamon sugar evenly over the top of the dough. Starting with the long edge of the dough roll the dough into a cylinder. Pinch the end of the dough and position this seam on the bottom. Using a pastry scrapper or sharp knife, cut the roll of dough into 1 1/2 inch length rolls and place in the pans containing the carmel and pecan topping. You will generally get 7-8 rolls for each of the three pans.

Allow the rolls to rise for about 45 minutes at room temperature covered by a kitchen towel or wrap each pan in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight. If refrigerating overnight, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature until your oven is heated to 375 degrees.

Cook in oven at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Remove when rolls are starting to brown.

Place plenty of parchment paper or foil on your work surface and place cooling racks on top of the paper. When rolls are removed from oven you will immediately invert the pan of cinnamon rolls on to the cooling racks allowing the carmel to drip over the top of the cinnamon roll.

Rolls can be eaten at this moment or wrapped in foil and freezer paper and then frozen.

Cilantro Lime Rice (Rice Cooker)

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 (15 ounce) can vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

Follow the direction on your rice cooker. Here is what I do for mine:

1. Rinse the rice and soak for 15 minutes in cold water. (This is done in the bowl of my rice cooker)

2. Add the appropriate amount of vegetable broth for the amount of rice. (again follow the directions on your rice cooker)

3. Add a teaspoon of butter for each cup of rice.

4. Add two cloves of minced garlic for each cup of uncooked rice.

5. Add two teaspoons of fresh lime juice for each cup of uncooked rice

Make a mixture of 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 4 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Adjust the amount of this mixture if you cook more than one cup of rice.

At this time you can start your rice cooker and cook the rice. When the rice has finished cooking transfer to a serving bowl and fold in the mixture of lime juice, sugar and copped cilantro.

Cilantro-Mint Chutney

Ingredients:
2 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or tandoori spice
1 serrano chili, seeded and minced (include some seeds to increase heat of the chutney)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup plain yogurt

Directions:
In a food processor, combine the cilantro, mint, onion, garlic, cumin, chili, sugar, salt, lemon juice and yogurt. Puree until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the chutney to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The chutney keeps for up to 3 days refrigerated.

Makes approximately 1 and 1/2 cups.

Serve with Samosas or Naan

Tyler Florence's Ultimate Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, for frying, plus more to drizzle
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch pieces (this cut is also called chuck shoulder pot roast and chuck roast boneless)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bottle good quality dry red wine (recommended: Burgundy)
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 orange, zest removed in 3 (1-inch) strips
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 1/2 cups beef stock
• 9 small new potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut in 1/2
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups frozen pearl onions, a large handful
• 1 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
• 1/2 pound garden peas frozen or fresh
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Horseradish Sour Cream, recipe follows, for garnish
• Toasted Peasant Bread, recipe follows, for serving

Directions

Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with the oil and butter.

While the pan is heating, arrange the flour on a large dish. Season the cubed beef with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and then toss in the flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour and add the beef chunks in a single layer to the hot pan, being careful not to over crowd the pan, you might have to work in batches. Thoroughly brown all of the cubes on all sides. Once all the meat has been browned remove it to a plate and reserve.

Add the wine to the pan and bring up to a simmer while you scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon being sure to loosen up all those tasty bits. Once the wine has gotten hot add the browned meat, thyme, smashed garlic, orange zest strip, ground cloves, freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste, bay leaves andbeef stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until the liquids start to thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours.

After 2 hours add halved potatoes, sliced carrots, pearl onions and mushrooms, along with a pinch of sugar to balance out the acid from the red wine. Turn the heat up slightly and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more, until the vegetables and meat are tender. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cooking. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme sprigs.

To serve, place the stew in a soup bowl, garnish with parsley, drizzle with olive oil and add a dollop of Horseradish Sour Cream. Right before serving add a slice of Toasted Peasant Bread, half way submerged in the stew.

Horseradish Sour Cream:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Chives, finely chopped, as garnish

Combine sour cream, prepared horseradish and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. Add a dollop of the mixture on top of the stew and garnish with chopped chives.