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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 4 Issue 101 - May 19, 2003 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net Un/Subscribe: Un/Subscribe: http://chef2chef.net/news/subscribe.htm -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, I hope you all had a great weekend. Pam and I are at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago as you read this. We'll be trying all kinds of new foods and visiting with many of the Chef2Chef.net sponsors. They make all this possible. Speaking of Chef2Chef sponsors, let me introduce you to Doug Allen, CEC. He and his wife own MustardSeedFoods.com , which features many of the gourmet items today's chef uses in his or her kitchen. Now they are available to you. I think you will enjoy his recipes this week. Take a peek at their site: http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=335 -------------------------------------------------- Beer Cheese Soup Mustard Seed Foods.com Yield: 1 gallon plus one quart INGREDIENTS: 3 slice Bacon, finely diced 1 ea. Shallot, finely diced 1 lb. Mustard Seed Foods Butter Roux 3 qt. Water, warm to prepare stock 4 TBS. Minor's chicken base 2 TBS. Minor's sautéed vegetable base 1 qt. Heavy cream To taste, Chef's Kitchen Salt & Pepper Blend 1 lb. Aged sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 TBS. Dijon mustard 1 ea. Beer, 12 oz can or bottle, (full flavor style, not "lite" or domestic wimpy) METHOD: Render bacon over low heat in heavy bottom pot large enough to hold finished soup volume. Render is to cook over low heat to release the oils. Remove the bacon pieces and reserve until the end. Sweat the shallots in the bacon fat until just softened but do not allow any color to develop. Add roux and melt over low heat. Prepare stock using hot water by combining chicken base and sautéed vegetable base to light flavor. A stock too heavy with chicken flavor will overpower the cheese. Add stock to pot and whisk smooth, then add heavy cream that has been warmed slightly in a pan or microwave. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add beer and return to a simmer. Remove from heat and add cheese and mustard. Do not boil again or the cheese may separate or form strings. Check for seasoning by adding Chef's blend or additional pepper, black or white. Serve with garnish of cooked diced bacon and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. NOTES: The best cheese to use is aged sharp cheddar that is crumbly in texture. The dryer and more flavorful the cheese is the better the finished soup will be. Young cheeses will tend to not melt completely and form strings even when melted with care. An option is to use one of the "American Cheese" products that are very easy to melt and are more tolerant of temperature. However the flavor is quite different from a natural aged cheese. The alcohol will evaporate but not completely so one cannot say this is devoid of alcoholic content. Do not skimp on the heavy cream or cheese. If you wish to have a low fat soup then make something else besides Beer Cheese. It is supposed to be rich! -------------------------------------------------- Mustard Seed Foods has been developed by chefs with all cooks in mind. We carry the foundations of cooking so the "chef in everyone" can prepare culinary creations for their family and guests to enjoy the results. Some of the products are as easy as opening a jar of our Sundried Tomato and Feta Cheese Spread from Greece and serving with your favorite crusty bread or some require a little more time to put your personal touch into. Why not do like most professional kitchens do today and buy the best ingredients available whether raw components or ready-to-use. Mustard Seed Foods has the premium quality you deserve! http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=335 -------------------------------------------------- Chicken Crepes Doug Allen CEC Yield: 4 servings, 2 crepes per serving Ingredients: 8 each prepared crepe shells or see batter recipe below 4 oz. chicken roux from Mustard Seed Foods .com 1 qt. chicken stock (4 TBS base to 1 qt water) 1 shallot, diced fine 1 cup mushrooms, sliced thinly 1 cup heavy cream 1 oz. Sherry, dry 16 oz. chicken, cooked and diced Method: Prepare sauce by placing shallots in saucepan and sweat over low heat in small amount of olive oil. Cook until softened then increase heat to medium and add the mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms are soft. Add chicken stock and roux; bring to simmer to melt roux. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add enough of this sauce to moisten the diced chicken for the crepe filling. Add heavy cream to remaining sauce and bring back to a simmer then add Sherry and remove from heat. Divide chicken filling between crepes and place in casserole pan. Cover with finished sauce and bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot. Garnish with chopped parsley. Options: Crepe Batter 3/4 cup flour (4oz by wt) 1/2 tsp. salt 3 eggs 1 cup milk 1-1/2 TBS butter, melted and slightly browned, and cooled Place all ingredients except butter in blender and process until smooth. Add butter and let rest at least 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in refrigerator. Stir well before using. Make crepe by pouring very small amount of batter in non-stick pan over medium heat and swirl batter to form thin crepe. Cook until done on one side and flip over for a few seconds. Continue cooking crepes and stack until ready to use. Can be made ahead and frozen. This crepe batter can be used for sweet crepes also. -------------------------------------------------- SignatureSecrets.com A "signature" dish shows off a chef's or restaurant's creativity - an item worthy of bearing the name of the creator. In the same tradition, Signature Secrets culinary thickener provides the very best in thickening - speed, versatility, stability, appearance and taste - in hot or cold preparations. That's correct. You do not even have to cook Signature Secrets culinary thickener. It delivers smooth, appealing, lump-free textures in soups and sauces, gravies, dressings, and desserts. And they'll stay that way in and out of the freezer or refrigerator, saving you time and energy. This product is now available for the personal chef or caterer at our online store. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=205 -------------------------------------------------- Bread Pudding Doug Allen CEC Executive Chef Mustardseedfoods.com Yield: 1 each 13x9 casserole pan INGREDIENTS: 2 cups sugar, granulated 1 doz. large eggs, slightly beaten 3 cups heavy cream 1 cup milk (or use a total of 1 qt half and half) 2 oz. butter melted but cool 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon pinch nutmeg stale bread, French, yeast rolls, etc METHOD: Cut bread into cubes about 1/2 inch square and fill pan 2/3 full. Beat eggs and sugar until thick. Add remainder of ingredients and mix well. Pour liquid mixture over bread cubes and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes or even overnight in the refrigerator. Bake in a slow oven: 300 degrees for convection or 325 regular. Bake until the custard sets in the middle. Serve with desired sauce. HARD SAUCE Beat 1/2 pound of soft butter until fluffy, add one pound of powdered sugar and a pinch of salt slowly and beat to incorporate. Add Bourbon, Brandy, or Rum to taste. Spread on warm bread pudding. Options: Use "Crème au Chocolat" from Mustardseedfoods.com as the sauce. Can be made individually in small cups, muffin pans, or ramekins. Fold in desired amount of chopped white chocolate for added richness. Thin out purchased Lemon Curd with hot water and use as a topping. -------------------------------------------------- This Month's Giveaways and Free Stuff! Feeling Lucky? This month, two lucky winners will win a set of celebrity chef Jacques Haeringer's cookbooks, Two for Tonight and The Chez François Cookbook http://topchefs.chef2chef.net/recipes-2/haeringer/ Whatever's on the grill, you can be sure to bring out the best taste with the trio of grilling sauces that are part of this month's sweepstakes giveaway by Bandana Bandito! First up is a Blue Ribbon approved Habanero Steak Sauce with a true Southwest flavor. Next is the Mango/Chipotle Sauce that adds fantastic tropical flavor to any marinade or dipping sauce. Lastly, the Bandit's Spicy BBQ Sauce gives any meat off the grill pure Alamo City taste. As if this is not enough, the Bandit will also send the winner a fun and original Wooly Boy Cookie Jar. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=215 Chef Revival has launched a new pattern for its line of quality chef clothing. It's called the Green Fish pattern. This month you could win one of 5 sets of Chef pants, an apron and PB hat. Visit them at Booth 1268 at the NRA Show. Register to Win this cool new Green Fish set! http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=36 Sign up for a FREE Subscription to Food Arts Magazine. The Magazine for the Foodservice and Hospitality Industry. U.S. residents only. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=242 -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |