Winter

J Squared: Valentine's Day For Lovers And Loners Alike

Thursday, February 9, 2012   0 comments.

February 9, 2012 – We can only imagine, that ever since the high middle ages - when Geoffrey Chaucer first turned the feast of an obscure 3rd century Saint into a celebration of romantic love - that Valentine's Day has had its advocates and its detractors: Lovers - awash with romantic notions - have perhaps always looked forward to Feb 14 with anticipation. And maybe others – loners, independents and skeptics - have long rolled their collective eyes at all the fuss. Well these days, Valentines Day – like so many holidays – comes with no shortage of stuff to buy, themed menus and special events - for every possible demographic. And in the end, can you really argue with a mid-winter excuse to get out of the house on a weeknight? So here are some Valentine's Day ideas for all you lovers – and you loners – out there from our resident insiders, J Squared - Jan Saragoni and Jared Bowen.

Crispy Catfish Po Boys

By Susie Middleton   |   Friday, January 20, 2012   0 comments.

Topped with creamy coleslaw and pickles, this rendition of the classic New Orleans sandwich makes a satisfying dinner.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
3 cups coleslaw mix
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
2 large eggs
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 4- to 5-oz. catfish fillets
4 long soft-crust Italian rolls, split
1-3/4 cups canola oil
8 sandwich-style dill pickle slices

Directions
Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.

Combine the coleslaw mix, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and celery seed in a medium bowl; set aside.

Beat the eggs in a wide shallow bowl until well mixed. In another wide shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Season the fish all over with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Dip a fillet in the egg to coat, shake off the excess, and then dredge it in the cornmeal mixture, again shaking off the excess. Repeat with remaining fillets.

Arrange the rolls cut sides up on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, 30 seconds. Remove from the oven and turn off the broiler.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, cook the fillets, turning once, until the coating is golden and crisp and the fish is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the fillets to a clean baking sheet lined with paper towels and keep warm in the oven.

To assemble, arrange 2 pickle slices on the bottom half of each roll. Top each with a fillet, a quarter of the coleslaw, and the other half of the roll. Cut the po’ boys in half, and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Spiced Sweet Potato Fries or toss extra coleslaw mix with a simple olive oil and cider vinegar dressing.

Nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 810; Fat (g): 36; Fat Calories (kcal): 330; Saturated Fat (g): 5; Protein (g): 35; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 17; Carbohydrates (g): 86; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 12; Sodium (mg): 1360; Cholesterol (mg): 110; Fiber (g): 6;

Steak Tacos with Sour Cream

By Susie Middleton   |   Friday, January 20, 2012   0 comments.

Ground chipotle chiles add a fiery kick to the creamy sauce for these tacos, and you can find it right in the supermarket spice section. Add bowls of fresh shredded lettuce, ripe tomatoes, and buttery avocado and let everyone dress their own tacos.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle chile
Kosher salt
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper
1 lb. skirt steak (3/4 inch thick)
Eight 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
1/4 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded (2 cups)
2 medium ripe tomatoes (8 oz. each), cored and chopped (2 cups)
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/3 cup chopped red onion

Directions
Prepare a medium-hot charcoal or gas grill fire. Combine the sour cream, chipotle, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Set aside at room temperature to let the flavors meld.

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Rub this mixture on all sides of the steak. Grill the steak, covered, flipping once, until medium rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a large plate to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the tortillas on the grill for about 30 seconds per side. Slice the steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Fill each tortilla with some of the steak, lettuce, tomato, avocado, and onion. Drizzle with the sauce and serve.

Nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 560; Fat (g): 30; Fat Calories (kcal): 270; Saturated Fat (g): 9; Protein (g): 32; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 16; Carbohydrates (g): 42; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3; Sodium (mg): 700; Cholesterol (mg): 75; Fiber (g): 7;

Roasted Shrimp with Rosemary and Thyme

By Susie Middleton   |   Friday, January 13, 2012   0 comments.

This hands-off dish delivers amazing flavor for very little effort; Roasted in an herb-infused oil, the shrimp turn golden-pink, tender and fragrant in just 10 minutes. If you like, substitute different herb combinations for the rosemary and thyme—try tarragon and chives or lemon verbena and parsley.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 fresh thyme sprigs
3 large fresh rosemary sprigs, halved
Freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 lb. extra-large shrimp (26 to 30 per lb.), preferably wild, peeled and deveined
1-1/2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
Kosher salt

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Pour the oil into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add the thyme, rosemary, and 1 tsp. pepper and bake until the oil mixture is fragrant, about 12 minutes.

Add the shrimp to the dish and toss with tongs until coated. Bake the shrimp until pink and firm, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the vinegar and 1/2 tsp. salt, toss well, and let rest at room temperature until the oil cools slightly, about 5 minutes. Discard the herbs (if you choose) and serve.

Serving suggestions:

Serve the shrimp over white rice or with some crusty bread to sop up the fragrant olive oil. Sautéed Broccoli Raab with Chile, Garlic & Lemon balance out the meal as well.

Cornbread And Sausage Stuffing

By Susie Middleton   |   Thursday, November 10, 2011   0 comments.

Everyone has their favorite stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving, and this is one of mine. It's got not-too-sweet crumbles of cornbread, Italian sausage, and lots of fresh herbs – delicious!

This stuffing is delicious when cooked inside the bird, we like this simple, juicy roast turkey. If you plan to cook the stuffing separately, follow the instructions below, it can be cooked in the same oven or at the same temperature as your turkey.

Tip: For a stuffing with a bit of heat, use hot Italian sausage or even chorizo.

Yields 12 to 14 cups

Ingredients
3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage (without casings), cut in small chunks
3 to 4 Tbs. rendered bacon fat or butter, if needed
2 cups chopped onion
1-1/2 cups finely chopped celery, including leaves
1-1/2 cups finely chopped bell pepper, preferably a mix of red and green
2 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 recipe Basic Cornbread, crumbled
1 cup chopped scallion
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
Freshly ground black pepper
Turkey stock or homemade or low-salt chicken broth as needed

Directions
In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add enough rendered bacon fat or butter to the pan to get about 5 Tbs. total fat. Add the onion, celery, peppers, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook briefly until the onion is softened. With a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits in the pan. Combine in a large bowl with the crumbled cornbread, scallions, parsley, chives, and pepper. Toss to combine.

If cooking in a turkey, put the stuffing in the bird just before roasting. Pack the stuffing loosely, leaving enough room to fit your whole extended hand into the bird's cavity. Cook the stuffing in the bird to 160º to 165ºF, checking with an instant-read thermometer. If the bird is done before the stuffing is, take the bird out of the oven, spoon the stuffing into a casserole dish, and continue to bake it while the turkey rests. If baking some or all of the stuffing in a casserole, pour a cup or two of stock over the stuffing to replace the juices the stuffing would have absorbed from the bird. Bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.

nutrition information (per serving):
Size : per 1/2 cup stuffing; Calories (kcal): 110; Fat (g): 6; Fat Calories (kcal): 50; Saturated Fat (g): 3; Protein (g): 4; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 2; Carbohydrates (g): 11; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 450; Cholesterol (mg): 20; Fiber (g): 1

Reviews of this recipe on Fine Cooking

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