Luck of the Irish

If a good pizza margherita can take you to a sun drench Italian Villa, a spicy chili relleno can warm the soul in a mist covered forest high on the Lagos de Volcanos de Anáhuac in Puebla Mexico, and a spicy tuna roll has us imagining the scent of incense, the beauty of a geisha, and soft gagaku music; then what kind of food would transport you to a rainy day inside a warm pub?

Guinness Beef Stew and Beer Bread. I delight in cooking with beer, the deep complex notes from the hops offers a taste like no other. Both recipes are simple, but ohhh so good.

Enjoy my friends, and dont forget your green today!

Céíad míle fáilte!

Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients

1/4 c flour
1 lb beef stew meat
1/2 cup milk
oil - enough to lightly coat pan
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 carrots, sliced
1 bottle Guinness
1 pkg frozen pearl onions
6 sprig(s) fresh thyme
1/2 c water
1/2 c flour
1/4 c honey
salt and pepper

Directions
1. Sift together the 1/4 cup flour, and some salt and pepper
2. Trim and dry stew meat, wet in the the milk then dredge in flour mixture
3. Heat a bit of oil in a large pot, add meat and garlic, brown.
4. Add sliced carrots and Guinness. Simmer for about one hour.
5. Add onions, thyme. Continue to simmer for 30 more mins.
6. Mix remaining flour and water in a bowl untill smooth, add to stew and cook untill thickened. Now add Honey salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve over mashed potaotes.

Irish Beer Bread

Ingredients
2 1/2 c self rising flour
12 oz room temperature beer (the better the beer the better the bread...harps is a good choice)
2 Tbsp sugar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Hand mix all ingredients until blended...do not use a mixer or do not beat.
3. Put mixture into a prepared loaf pan, i use the standard size loaf pan
4. Bake 45 minutes or until done.

Turkey & Brie Turnovers

During a recent episode of Triple D, they portrayed Turkey and Brie Turnovers from “The General Store” in Silver Springs, Maryland. Chef Gillian Clark is to be commended for the idea! While hers probably use other ingredients, I think mine turned out wonderfully! The family seemed to agree since there wasn't any left overs.

Turkey & Brie Turnovers

The Ingredients:

4 TBS Butter
1 Shallot, diced
1 Leek, rough chop
1/2 White Onion, diced
Handful of Fresh Thyme
1/2 Cup White Wine
1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
2/3 Cup Heavy Cream
1 TBS flour
2 Pound of Roasted Turkey
1/4 teaspoon Curry
Salt and Pepper
Brie Cheese
1 Package of Puff Pastry – 2 sheets
1 Egg
1 Large Orange – zested and juiced
1TBS Butter
Powdered Sugar

The Directions:

1. Preheat over to 350


2. Chop all vegetables, set aside


3. Shred turkey, set aside


4. Remove Puff Pastry from fridge, lay out on a floured surface, roll to desired size and cut into squares. Each sheet makes 4 turnovers


5. Melt 4TBS butter in a large skillet, I used my 14 inch cast iron, add vegetables and saute 5 minutes then add wine and stock


6. Introduce turkey to the vegetable mixture


7. Mix flour into the heavy cream, then pour into the turkey vegetable mixture, reduce heat and allow to simmer until thickened.


8. Add curry, and thyme, salt and pepper to taste.


9. Remove from heat, and add by spoonfuls to the pastry, top off with brie then fold diagonally


10. Brush tops with beat egg and bake 20-25 minutes.

Sauce

1. Melt remaining 1 TBS butter in sauce pan


2. Zest orange into butter, then juice orange into same pan - I always end up with pulp, on purpose


3. Bring to boil and reduce heat


4. Sprinkle in powder sugar until desired consistency and taste
   

Mardi Gras means Creole Gumbo!

Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday" referring to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of Lent.

So in honor of Fat Tuesday

Gumbo

Ingredients

• 1 lb Andouille Sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 lb Chicken, cut up
• 1 lb Shrimp, shelled and de-viened
• 1 White Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped
• 2 Stalks Celery, finely chopped
• 16 oz can diced Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup - All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup - Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp - Garlic, minced
• 8 cups - Chicken Stock - OR - substitute some of the chicken stock for seafood stock
• 1/4 cup fresh Parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp - File Powder
• 1 tbsp fresh Thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh Sage Leaf, chopped
• 1 tsp - Salt
• 1 tsp - White Pepper
• 1 tsp - Cayenne Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp - Black Pepper

Directions

1. Chop the vegetables and saute them in a large non-stick skillet with one TBSP oil (tomatoes will be added later, do not count them as vegetables)
2. In a large soup pot, heat oil over med-low heat. Gradually stir in flour, and cook, stirring, until mixture is dark brown ~ about 15 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock and whisk until smooth
3. Add sauteed vegetables to the roux thickened stock and allow to simmer 30 - 45 minutes, stirring occasionally
4. Add the tomatoes, sausage, and chicken, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes then add salt and peppers
5. Simmer uncovered another 30 minutes, skimming off any fat that floats to the surface. Add herbs and shrimp, simmer for additional 1-5 minutes until shrimp is done
6. Remove from heat and add file powder. Serve over Rice

Bon appétit, mes amis!

We all have a little bit of a witch in us

Over the weekend, I once again made my famous Black Magic Cake with Sour Cream Icing; it is now Monday morning, and the cake is gone.

I love the flavour and texture, and the chocolate isn't over-powering. Grab your favorite Valentine, work a little black magic on them and enjoy the rewards.

Black Magic Cake

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee (I use Starbucks Pikes Place)
• 1 cup buttermilk - Real not the powdered stuff
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 a vanilla bean, scrapped -OR- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan.
2.In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.
3.Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.
4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Ice with Sour Cream Icing.

Sour Cream Icing

*************Note****************

This is icing, not frosting

**********************************

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 a vanilla bean, scrapped -OR- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and salt. Stir in confectioners' sugar, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
2. Icing will be thin, pour or spoon over top of cake and allow to slide down sides.