Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 packages baby bella mushrooms (28 – 30 mushrooms)

¼ c. minced celery
¼ c. minced green bell pepper
¼ c. finely sliced green onions
¼ c. diced tomato
¼ c. white wine
3 cloves minced garlic
1 minced shallot
6 oz. minced Andouille sausage
½ c. roasted garlic bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese
Olive oil

 

Stuffing:

Clean mushrooms and removed the stems to a bowl

Finely dice mushroom stems
Brown Andouille sausage in 1 tablespoon olive oil
Remove the sausage to a bowl and set aside
Do NOT wipe the pan
Add the celery, bell pepper, onions, tomatoes, and shallot to the pan
Cook the vegetables until begin to soften
Add the mushroom stems, garlic, and red pepper flakes
Continue to cook the vegetables until the mushrooms have given off their liquid
Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is nearly cooked away
Return the Andouille sausage to the pan
Add ½ of the bread crumbs and stir to combine
Remove the mixture from the heat

Mushrooms:

Lightly oil a baking sheet or dish with olive oil

Place the mushrooms on the sheet (sides not touching)
Sprinkle the inside of the mushrooms with a few drops of olive oil
Spoon the stuffing mixture into each mushroom
Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over the top
Sprinkle a layer of parmesan cheese over the top

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes (tops will brown)

Grandma's Hands

As I watch my grandson growing up, it is fun to watch his unique personality emerge. Observing his mannerisms and how they frequently seem to mimic those of someone else in his life serves as a reminder of the myriad influences that shape what we are. Often the source of such influence is invisible to the casual observer – even the individual. This point was driven home some months back.

When experimenting with recipes it is not uncommon for me to estimate the measure of ingredients using my hand rather than seeking the precision of a measure cup or spoon. Over the years I've developed some accuracy using just my palm and crossing my fingers over each other to form a small bowl. Although I don't remember who first asked the question about how I held my fingers when measuring, it seemed at first to be an odd question. However, after thinking about it for bit, I wasn't really sure why I held my hand that way either. Observing the gaps between my skinny fingers led me to conclude I'd probably developed the habit to safely hold ingredients in my hand rather than allowing them to slide through the gaps to the floor. If anyone asked why (and some did), that was my answer.

Not so very long ago, while visiting with my mother, we were preparing something (biscuits, I think) in the kitchen. Looking down at her hands, I saw the same cup formed in her palm that was oft formed in mine - palm up, tip of the ring finger slightly over the edge of the index finger with the middle finger resting behind them, and the pinky dangling alongside. Given that I was not the one who taught her to cook, it seemed I now had an answer as to the source of my measuring technique. There it was, the invisible influence – her. More correctly stated it was me as a child observing her in the kitchen. Although that answered one question, it created another: why did she hold her hand that way? As one would expect, it was her mother who passed the technique to my mother.

Realizing the technique must have been passed from generation to generation in the same manner, I became quite curious as to why we did that. Were we too poor for generations to afford measuring utensils? Were we so uneducated that we didn’t understand basic math concepts – like fractions? Were we culinary wizards that evolved beyond the need for man-made kitchen gadgets? Had our family been cooking for so long that we pre-dated measuring devices? Any of these reasons would have made a great story, but none would be true. Due to an unfortunate farming accident as a child, my grandmother lost the two distal joints of her middle finger retaining only a nub. The only way she could keep things in her palm was to cross the index and ring fingers over the nub – thus – a tradition was born.

So, now I look at my grandson and wonder how he will hold his hand someday when it is time to measure ¼ cup of sugar. I wonder if he will be curious as to why?

Favorite pancake recipe

1 cup self rising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups of milk
2 - 3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons cooled melted butter

Sift all dry ingredients into a separate bowl. Separately whisk together the eggs, milk, and sour cream. Add the sifted mixture to the liquids. While whisking slowly add the melted butter. Will yield about a dozen 3 inch pancakes.

Enjoy!

Crawfish Etoufee

This is my favorite version of this dish.

To make it, you will need the following ingredients:

2 lbs. peeled crawfish tails (frozen ones do just fine)
2 lg. onions
5 ribs celery
5 toes garlic
1 bell pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. white wine (I prefer to use Pinot Grigio by either Cavitts or Little Black Dress)
2 tbsp. tomato paste
Black pepper
Salt
Tony Chachere seasoning (this has a lot of salt in it - just a caution)
3 c. boiling water
3 tbsp. flour
8 ounces cream cheese
1 bunch green onions
1 stick unsalted butter

This is how I make it:
Total cooking and prep time is about 1:45.

Finely chop the onions, celery, garlic, bell pepper, and green onions.
Set the green onions aside for later.
Heat skillet (I use a covered electric skillet at 300-325).
Lightly brown flour in butter.
Add onions, celery, garlic and bell pepper - salt and pepper.
Saute until onions are translucent.
Add tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add water. Cook for 30 minutes.
Add soup (do not dilute), wine, crawfish and green onions.
Add Tony's powder and black pepper to taste.
Cook for another 30 minutes.
Add the cream cheese and reduce heat to a simmer.
Stir and allow the cream cheese to fully incorporate.

This can be served over rice, baked in petit pie shells, or as the filling to crawfish pie.
It is also very good served over slices of buttered toasted french bread, or, as I learned last night, olive oil and black pepper Triscuits.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Living in Italy in the late 1970s, this pasta dish was my absolute favorite.

Prep/cooking time: 30-45 minutes Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound spaghetti
8 ounces sliced bacon (cut 1/2-inch segments)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 large eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup half-and-half (heavy cream works too)

DIRECTIONS:
Bring the eggs to near room temperature. Set a large pot of water to boil (for pasta).

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Salt boiling water generously; add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan, and half-and-half. Set aside.

Drain pasta, leaving some water clinging to it. Working quickly, add hot pasta to egg mixture. Add bacon; season with salt and pepper, and toss all to combine (heat from pasta will cook eggs).

Serve immediately, sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese as desired.
Yield: 4 servings

As a final footnote - it does not re-heat well, so, go ahead and stuff yourself.

Stuffed Pork Loin recipe

This is one my favorite recipes, but I usually reserve it for the holidays. Prep time is about 30 - 45 minutes and the juices make a wonderful au jus or it works equally well as the liquid in a flour gravy.

1 pound mild Italian sausage (casings removed)
Grannie Smith apple
Walnuts
Fresh parsley
White onion
Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic powder
Olive Oil
3 to 4 pound pork loin

Lightly toast about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of walnuts and chop into small pieces (I used a handful)
Chop about 1/4 cup of fresh parsley (I used just over a rounded palm full)
Peel and dice the apple into 1/4 inch pieces.
Lightly brown and break up the sausage with a bit of olive oil.
Add the apples, walnuts, and most of the parsley to the sausage (save some for garnish).
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste (note this mixture will provide the seasoning for the inside of the loin, so, the mixture should not be bland)
Mix gently so the apples don't fall apart.
Turn off the heat.
Cover the skillet and let it sit for about 3 minutes (stir if you'd like).
Set the mixture aside so it can cool (refrigerator is okay).

Rinse and pat dry the pork loin.

With a long, sharp knife make an incision through center of the length of the pork loin. Being careful not to pierce a hole through the side of the pork loin (juice will leak out), use the knife blade to expand the opening about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches for the full length of the loin.

Retrieve sausage mixture. (Do not use it until it has cooled to at least room temperature!)
Use your hands or a spoon to stuff the mixture into the loin.
Massage the loin to spread the stuffing and get a uniform size for baking (don't want it looking like a pig in a python).

Liberally line a broiler pan or dish with foil.
Spread a light coating of olive oil the foil.
Place the pork loin into the pan.
Rub the outside of the pork loin with olive oil.
Season with salt/pepper/garlic power.

Slice the onion and cover the top of the loin and stuffing.
Use the remainder of the onion and it place around the bottom of the pork loin.
Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan.
Use another sheet of foil to tent and cover the pork loin by sealing the edges of the foil sheets.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
Remove the tenting and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes to brown the top.

Remove the loin to a cutting board and let the meat rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Reserve the juices from the meat to make gravy.
Garnish with parsley (if you have any left from earlier).