Heading North to Desolation Sound

Is anyone interested in joining us for part or all of our cruise north to Desolation Sound? Time frame is between August 15-October 1st. Please contact the Waters should you be interested.

Kielbasa Vinaigrette

Adapted from OPEN HOUSE COOKBOOK, Sarah Leah Chase

Cook Tri-color pasta until a la dente, drain and cool. Set aside

3 1/2# kielbasa sausage
1 jar (4 oz) chopped pimientos
Alternatives are a jar of roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts, marinated
1 can large pitted black olives, sliced
1 bunch green onions, white bulb and green stalk, sliced
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cup Basic Herb Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Put sausage in large pot and add enough water to just cover. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 min. Cool enough to slice sausage and place in frying pan and brown.
Place the sausage in large bowl; add the pimientos, olives, green onions, parsley and the pasta. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature. The salad keeps well in the refrigerator, but it must be warmed to room temperature before serving.


Basic Herb Vinaigrette
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 Tblsp Dijon mustard
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Tblsp dried Italian herbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk garlic and mustard together in mixing bowl. Whisk in vinegar. While continuing to whisk, pour in the oils in a steady stream. Season with the herbs and salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for several hours to allow the flavors to mellow. Store covered in the refrigerator. Let warm to room temperature before using. Makes 4 cups.

Corn Casserole

The Best of Bon Appétit 1979 6 servings

2 cups corn
1/2-cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream, or use 1/2 cup each, sour cream & heavy cream
1 cup diced Monterey Jack cheese (or Pepper Jack cheese)
1/2 cup cornmeal, rough cut adds a nice texture 4 oz. Can diced Green chilies, omit if use Pepper Jack cheese
1 tsp. Salt
Preheat oven to 350°. Generously butter 2 qt. Casserole. Puree 1cup corn with butter and eggs in blender or food processor.
Mix remaining ingredients in medium bowl. Add pureed mixture and blend well. Pour into prepared pan and bake uncovered 45-50 minutes.
This may be prepared a day in advance and reheated before serving. Freezes well, defrost before cooking.
Note: Should you use frozen corn, I have found that it is much easier to defrost the corn prior to placing in the blender

Chocolate Brownies

Adapted from Festive Dessert Cookery Makes 32

1 cup plus 2 Tbls. Flour
1/4/ tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. Salt or less
2 cups sugar
1-cup soft butter
4 eggs
1/3-cup cocoa
1/4-cup canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
8 oz. Walnuts, chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 325° Grease 2 8x8 or 1 9x13 baking pans.

Sift flour with baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed, beat sugar, butter and eggs until very light and fluffy. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread evenly in prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes. The top should be a bit soft to the touch.

Cool slightly, then cut into 2 -inch squares.

Southwest Corn Frittata

Adapted from Bon Appétit magazine Serves 2, can be doubled

Serve the frittata with chunky salsa4 large eggs
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos (Pepper Jack)
3 Tbls. Chopped fresh cilantro
2 6-inch corn tortillas cut into small wedges
1 can chopped black olives
1 onion, chopped

Preheat broiler. Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Mix in corn, cheese and cilantro and olives. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Mix in tortillas.
Heat oil in heavy medium broiler-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until jest tender, about 5 minutes. Pour egg mixture into skillet and stir to blend. Cover skillet. Cook frittata over low heat until eggs are almost set, about 8 minutes. Uncover skillet, broil frittata until top is set and starting to brown, about 1 minute. Slide frittata onto plate. Cut into wedges and serve

Crab and Tomato Quesadillas

(This adapted from Bon Appétit) Serves 4

1 ½ cups packed grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 6 oz. We often use Pepper Jack Cheese)
2 oz. Cream cheese, room temp.
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbls orange juice
2 tsp grated orange peel
1 tsp grated lemon peel
8 oz. Crabmeat, drained
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
½ cup chopped green onions
1 Tbls. Minced seeded jalapeno chili (eliminate if use Pepper Jack cheese)
8 7-8 inch flour tortillas

5 Tbls. Vegetable oil.

Mix 1st 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season cheese mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
Mix crabmeat, tomatoes, green onions, and chili in bowl. Spread cheese mixture over half of each tortillas. Spoon crabmeat mixture atop cheese mixture, dividing equally. Fold tortillas in ½. Press gently to seal.Heat 1 12/ Tbl oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook quesadillas until cheese melts and tortillas are golden brown, about 3 min. per side. Add oil as needed. Serve immediately

Warm Scallop or Chicken Salad with Spicy Pecan Praline

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine Serves 6

Praline:
1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
½ tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Cayenne, or to taste
3 Tbls. Sugar

In a bowl stir together nut, salt and cayenne. In small dry skillet cook sugar over medium heat, stirring with fork, until melted and cook, without stirring, swirling skillet until a golden caramel. Add pecan mixture and stir to coat nuts with caramel. Spoon onto a sheet of foil and cool. Transfer to a cutting board and chop fine.

¾ lb scallops or chicken breasts
1 Tbls flour
½ tsp. Salt
¾ tsp cumin
1/8 tsp. Cayenne
1 Tbls. Butter
1 Tbls. Olive oil

In a small plastic bag combine salt, flour, cumin and cayenne. Add chicken or scallops that are bite size pieces, and shake to cover entirely. In skillet heat butter and olive oil over med. heat and sauté meat, until cooked thoroughly. Remove skillet from heat.

Dressing and salad:
3 Tbls. Lemon juice
3 Tbls. Olive oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
7 cups lettuce, mixed salad greens are wonderful

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tasty Cookies

From Nancy Kyle 350° 8-10 minutes (DO NOT OVERBAKE)

1 cup Peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 ½ cup brown sugar
1 cup margarine/butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ cups oatmeal
3 cups chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together so that the mixture is well incorporated and creamy. Drop onto cookie sheet and bake.

Chicken and Corn Enchiladas

Adapted from Bon Appétit Makes 16

Preheat oven to 350°

Meat from one cooked chicken
1 ½ cups sliced red onion
1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups grated Pepper Jack cheese
1 can each tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes combined together
thick and chunky mild salsa

Lightly oil baking dish. Mix 1st 6 ingredients and 1 cup cheese in bowl. Season chicken filling to taste with salt and pepper. Mix salsa and tomato mixture in large bowl.
Heat heavy skillet over med-high heat. Add 1 tortilla and cook until heated through, about 10 seconds per side. Brush tortilla with tomato sauce. Spoon 1/3 cup chicken filling into center of tortilla. Roll up. Place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon remaining sauce over enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Cover with foil. Bake until heated through, about 35 minutes. (for refrigerated tortillas this will take 45 minutes to cook.)

Lemongrass Rubbed Filet with Braised Short Ribs

Best Places Seattle Cookbook – The Painted Table Serves 4
Sauce1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 Tbls. Coarsely chopped ginger
6 kaffir lime leaves, coarsely chopped
6 Thai chiles or other small, hot chiles, stemmed and coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup plus 1 tsp. Brown sugar
½ cup seasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbls. Dry sherry
2 Tbls. Sesame oil
1 ½ - 2 pounds beef short ribs
3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
3 Tbls. Vegetable oil
4 filet mignon steaks, about 5 ounces each

Spicy Red Pepper Sauce
1 red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. Freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
1 tsp. Sambal oelik or other hot chile sauce, more to taste.

Marinade: Combine lemongrass, ginger, lime leaves, chiles and garlic in small bowl. Stir to mix and set aside half of the seasoning mixture to use later. Pour the rest of the mixture in a large bowl and add the soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sherry and oil. Stir to mix until the sugar is dissolved, then add the beef short ribs. Stir gently to evenly coat them. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for about 5 hours, stirring the ribs once or twice so they marinate evenly.

Pepper Sauce: Roast the red pepper over a gas flame or under the broiler until the skin blisters and blackens, turning occasionally to roast evenly, 5 – 10 minutes. Put the pepper into a plastic bag, securely seal it, and set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel away and discard the skin. Remove the core and seeds and coarsely chop the pepper. Boil the garlic in water for 2 minutes. Drain the garlic and repeat. Put the drained garlic in a blender, add the roasted pepper, lime juice fish sauce, and chile sauce. Puree until smooth and taste for seasoning, adding more chile sauce to taste; set aside until ready to serve. Refrigerate if making it more than a few hours in advance, but let the sauce come room temperature before serving.
~After the ribs have marinated, preheat the oven to 325° Take the ribs from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, add the chicken stock, and warm the marinade over medium heat. Sear the ribs until well browned on all sides, 3 – 5 minutes total, then pur the warm marinade over and o with the lid. Braise the ribs in the oven until the meat is very tender and begins to fall away from the bones, about 2 hours.
~Put the remaining lemongrass mixture in a food processor with the remaining teaspoon brown sugar and process until very finely minced. Rub the paste over both sides of the f
Let mignon steaks, set them on a plate, and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, while the ribs are braising.
~When the ribs are tender, take them from the oven and let cool slightly. Lift the ribs out with a slotted spoon to a plate and use your fingers to separate the meat from the bones and fat. Return the meat to the marinade and keep warm over low heat.
~Heat the remaining 2 Tbls. Vegetable oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Rub the lemongrass paste from the filet mignon steaks with a paper towel, season the steaks lightly with salt and pepper, and add them to the hot skillet. Pan-fry until cooked to taste; 2minutes per side for rare, 3-4 minutes for medium-rare to medium.
~Set the steaks on individual warmed plates and arrange the ribs alongside. Drizzle some of the spicy red pepper sauce alongside and serve.

Chile-Glazed Chicken Wings

Food and Wine ~ May 2003 4 Servings

5 pounds chicken wings, tips discarded, wings cut in half at the joint
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup sake (I have used Vermouth)
½ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass or 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 500°. Spray 2 large rimmed baking sheets (cookie sheets work well also) with vegetable oil spray. Spread chicken wings on the sheets; season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the wings are cooked through and lightly browned.
Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, combine the sake, orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, lemon grass, ginger, garlic and red pepper. Boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice.
Preheat the broiler. Transfer the wings into a large bowl and toss with the glaze. Spread the wings onto 1 baking sheet and broil on the middle rack of the oven for 10 minutes, turning once, until browned. I poured the glaze over wings before broiling. Transfer to a platter. Place the glaze into a bowl to serve. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Grilled Chili-Rubbed Flank Steak

Serves 4

1 large garlic clove
1 Tbls. Chopped red onion
1 Tbls. Fresh lime juice
2 tsps. Chili powder
2 tsps. Salt
1 tsp. Ground cumin
2 Tbls. Olive oil
1 1½ pound flank steak
(I used one green jalapeño pepper, seeded to last time I prepared this recipe which I also tripled the amounts.)

In processor, pulse the garlic with onion, lime juice, chili powder, salt and cumin, (and add jalapeño pepper if desired for extra bite.) With the machine on, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until a wet paste forms. Rub the paste all over the steak. ( I allow this to marinate in refrigerator for several hours or up to two days.)
Light grill or preheat grill pan, Grill the steak over a medium-high fire for 10 minutes, turning once, until an instant read thermometer registers 125° - 130º for medium rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
Cut the steak across the grain into ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange the meat on a platter. The original recipe has you squeeze 2 lime wedges over the steak slices, then top 3 ½ with shredded Monterey jack cheese and 2 Tbls. Chopped cilantro.

Gingersnaps

The New Basics Cookbook- Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins
2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
2 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup molasses
4 ½ cups flour
¼ cup ground ginger
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Cream butter, sugar together in large bowl until light.
Beat in eggs and then molasses
Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together. Using wooden spoon, stir into butter-sugar mixture until completely incorporated

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes in refrigerator

Preheat oven to 325˚ Grease cookie sheet
Scoop tablespoon dough and roll into small ball, dip into (I used raw sugar) then flatten slightly onto cookie sheet

Bake until browned, 10-13 minutes. Transfer and allow to cool on rack.