Tomato Sauce Naples Style
Tomato sauces vary from region to region in Italy. Here is the Neapolitan version.
INGREDIENTS
3 Pounds Fresh Tomatoes
1 Minced Yellow Onion
1 Minced Celery Stalk
3 Minced Garlic Cloves
½ Cup Olive Oil
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
8 Basil Leaves
Wash, dry and seed the tomatoes. Dice into large chunks and place them in a large cooking pot. Add the onion, garlic, celery and ¼ cup of the olive oil. Add the salt and pepper and cook over a low heat for 25 minutes until the tomatoes begin to fall apart. The pot should be without a lid on it. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Place the tomato mixture into a food processor or blender (you can also use a food mill) and puree. Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil to the pot and return the tomato sauce to the pot. Simmer over a medium low heat for 5 minutes. Chop or tear the basil leaves and add to the pot. Turn the heat off and serve over the pasta of your choice. This sauce is also great on meatballs or as a pizza sauce. Serves 4
Chicken Tacos
From living on the West Coast for so long I became spoiled. Everywhere I turned there was authentic Mexican food. Good Mexican food is definitely missing here in New York. I don’t care how hard the Mexican restaurants try they just can’t compete with the West Coast. Period!
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Pounds Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breasts
½ Cup Garlic Lime Marinade (Lime, Chili Powder, Kosher Salt, Pepper)
¾ Teaspoons Ancho Chili Powder
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Can Rinsed & Drained Mexicorn
¼ Cup Fire Roasted Salsa Verde
¼ Cup Diced Red Onion
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
8 Yellow Corn Taco Shells
Shredded Romain Lettuce For Garnish
1 Diced Tomato For Garnish
Lime Marinade: ½ Teaspoon Chili Powder, 1 Squeezed Lime, ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt, ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken and marinade together. Set aside. In a medium bowl mix the mexicorn, salsa verde, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Set aside. Heat a stovetop grill pan over a medium heat. Cook the chicken for 4 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove and set aside. Cut the chicken breast into ½ inch pieces and fill each corn tortilla with the chicken. Divide evenly. Top each with 2 tablespoons of the corn mixture ( mexicorn, salsa verde, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper & Ancho Chili Powder). Roll up and garnish with lettuce and tomatoes. Serves 2 or 4
Sweet & Sour Spare Ribs
I love Asian Spare Ribs. No need to go out to a restaurant because they are easy to make at home.
INGREDIENTS
2 Pounds Cut Pork Spare Ribs
1 Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Unbleached Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Dry Mustard
2 Cups Water
½ Cup Soy Sauce
½ Cup Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
2 Chopped Garlic Cloves
Sesame Seeds For Garnish
In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt, mustard, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and water. Set aside. Put the ribs in a large cooking pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes and drain. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Brown the ribs on all sides. Next pour the sauce into the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Place on a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds. Serves 4
Pork Satay With Peanut Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Pork Tenderloin
¼ Cup Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Red Curry Paste
¾ Cup Coarsely Ground Peanuts
¼ Cup Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Red Curry Paste
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
8 Bamboo Skewers
(Soaked)
Cut the port tenderloin crosswise into 16 slices. Put each slice between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to ¼ inch thickness using a meat mallet. In a large bowl combine ¼ cup of the coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of the red curry paste. Make sure that you do not use the low fat coconut milk for this recipe. Add the pork to the bowl, toss and refrigerate covered for 1 ½ hours. For the peanut sauce combine ¼ cup of the coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and 1 tablespoon of the red curry paste. Preheat the grill to medium high. Remove the pork from the bowl and throw away the marinade. Thread the pork evenly onto 8 skewers that have been soaked in water and sprinkle with the salt. Grill for 3 minutes on each side and serve with the peanut sauce. Serves 8
Yellow Squash Salad
A friend gave me a tiny yellow squash from his garden and I didn’t quite know what to do with it. It was so tiny and so cute that I just wanted to look at it. I finally decided to make a little salad with it. This Yellow Squash Salad turned out great!
INGREDIENTS
½ Red Onion Chopped
2 Small Diced Yellow Squash
2 Diced Curby Cucumbers
½ Cup Chopped Basil
1 Medium Chopped Tomato
6 Ounces White Beans
4 Ounces Chopped Feta Cheese
¼ Cup Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Chop the onion, yellow squash, cucumbers, tomato and place in a medium serving bowl. Pour ¼ cup salad dressing over the chopped vegetables and set aside. Add the salt, pepper, white beans and basil. Lightly toss. Just when you are ready to serve add the chopped feta cheese and lightly toss. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Steamed Mussels In White Wine
INGREDIENTS
1 Large Finely Chopped Shallot
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
¼ Cup Dry White Wine
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
4 ½ Pounds Mussels
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
Scrub and debeard the mussels. Place the shallot, onions, wine, butter and vinegar in a large heavy pot. Add the mussels. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Throw away any mussels that don’t open up. Put a strainer line with a double layer of cheesecloth over a large bowl and set aside. Using a slotted spoon transfer the mussels to a large bowl. Pour the liquid that is in the pot through the cheesecloth in the strainer. Once all the liquid has gone through the strainer season with the black pepper and pour over the mussels. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with toasted bread. Serves 4
Lady Bird Johnson’s Lemon Bundt Cake
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Butter
1 2/3 Cups Sugar
10 Lightly Beaten Egg Yolks
3 ¼ Cups Unbleached Flour
4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Milk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 ½ Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Peel
Powdered Sugar For Dusting
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease and flour the Bundt pan. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten egg yolks until incorporated into the butter mixture. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Re-sift 3 times. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until incorporated. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and lemon peel. Beat for 2 minutes and bake for one hour. Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving platter to complete the cooling process. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serves 10
Homemade Potato Chips
It is so easy to make your own potato chips. These chips are delicious. Make sure to season them while they are still warm and some residual oil for the spices to adhere to. I like to season with salt, pepper and finely grated Parmesan cheese. You could season with chili powder, ground cumin, toasted sesame seeds, minced herbs or anything that strikes you.
INGREDIENTS
2 Large Russet Potatoes
Peanut Oil
Salt
Pepper
Peel and slice into 1/8 inch slices on either a mandolin or other handheld slicer. In a large saucepan fill with the oil halfway and heat until the oil is 350° F. Add the potato slices in batches and fry for 3 minutes until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt, pepper or any season that strikes your fancy.
If you prefer to bake the chips in the oven then preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl toss the potato slices with 5 Tablespoons of peanut oil. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and season lightly with salt. Bake for 14 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and season again with salt and pepper. Drain on paper towels and let cool for the maximum crispness. Serves 6
Cavatelli With Tomato & Feta Sauce
If you would like a nice variation on pasta night try this simple, but well put together pasta dish. If you love feta cheese then you’ll really love this sauce. Because feta is fairly salty you don’t need to add extra salt.
INGREDIENTS
1 Pound Cavatelli Pasta
3 Large Tomatoes
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
4 Minced Garlic Cloves
4 Chipolini Onions
3 Shallots
½ Cup Fresh Basil
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
¾ Cup Fresh Feta Cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 3 whole tomatoes to the boiling water for 15 seconds and quickly remove. The skin should start to peel. Place the tomatoes immediately in cold water and then set aside for a moment. Now add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. While the pasta is cooking peel the blanched tomatoes and chop into coarse pieces. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic, chopped onions and shallots. Sauté until the onions and shallots sweat. Add the chopped tomatoes and fresh pepper. Cook until the tomatoes are extremely tender. Stir in the chopped feta cheese and cook for 15 minutes over a medium low heat. Stir occasionally. Finally add the chopped basil and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and add the drained pasta to the skillet. Mix together the pasta and the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish. Serves 4
Double Dipped Fried Chicken
Who doesn’t just love fried chicken? It is an American institution. I love this double dipped fried chicken recipe. Serve with mashed potatoes or French fries and slaw and you have the perfect meal. Great for picnics too!
INGREDIENTS
2 Whole Cut Up Chickens
2 Cups Evaporated Milk
½ Cup Water
2 Eggs
3 ½ Cups Unbleached Flour
½ Teaspoon Granulated Onion
½ Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
½ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
½ Teaspoon Ground Tumeric
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Olive Oil
Mix the milk, water and eggs together and marinate the chicken in the mixture for 24 hours. Keep the leftover marinade in the refrigerator. Mix the flour with the cornstarch and spices in a large bowl. Place the chicken pieces into the flour and spice mixture. Press the chicken pieces firmly into the flour mixture. Next, dip the chicken back into the marinade. Here is your double dipping. Place the chicken pieces back into the flour mixture pressing firmly into the flour mixture. In a large heavy pan heat ½ inches of the olive oil to 350° F. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides for 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and transfer to a baking sheet. Place into the preheated 350° F oven for 30 minutes. Do not cover the chicken as that tends to make it soggy. Remove from the oven when done and cool for 5 minutes. Serves 4
