Monday, February 28, 2011

Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto







Ingredients
8 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ lbs large shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 oz butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped tomatoes
Fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced




Procedures
  1. SIMMER chicken broth in a large pot on low heat until needed.
  2. HEAT oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in rice and cook for 1 minute, then add white wine. Add ½ cup of broth and stir until completely absorbed. Repeat until half of broth has been added. Stir the risotto frequently to prevent sticking.
  3. ADD asparagus and shrimp to the remaining broth and cook for about 2 minutes, or until shrimp are pink. Remove asparagus and shrimp from broth and add them to the risotto mixture. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time until desired creaminess is reached (there may be broth left over).
  4. Once the broth is absorbed, add butter, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and parsley.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Penne Romana

Ingredients
Romana Sauce
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup yellow onion, chopped in 1/4”pieces
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 cups white wine
2 tsp rosemary, chopped (1/2 tsp dry)
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped (1/4 tsp dry)
Salt to taste
2 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
2 cups chicken broth

Pasta
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups green beans, blanched
1 cup tomato, diced
4 cups Romana sauce (see above)
4 cups penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
3 Tbsp Romano cheese
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese






Procedures
  1. HEAT oil in a small saucepan at medium-high heat. Add onions and crushed red pepper. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add minced garlic and cook for one minute. Whisk in wine, rosemary, parsley and salt.
  2. WHISK cornstarch and chicken broth in a separate bowl. Add mixture to sauce and stir well. Bring to a boil and set aside.
  3. HEAT sauté pan over medium high heat. Add green beans and tomato and cook for 1 minute. Add Romana sauce and cooked, drained penne pasta. Add Romano and Parmesan cheeses. Stir well to ensure pasta is completely coated.
  4. SERVE hot.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Ingredients
4 each (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 lb fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, julienne cut
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 lb whole leaf spinach, stemmed
2 cups heavy cream
1 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Procedures
Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.
  1. MIX 1½ cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
  2. HEAT 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 2 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.
  3. PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  4. HEAT 2 Tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp flour, wine, spinach and cream and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in parmesan cheese.
  5. COAT cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Scampi Sauce

Scampi Sauce

Butter 1 lb
Chopped Garlic 6oz
Roasted Garlic paste 1oz
Chicken Base 3oz
White Wine 32 fl oz
Italian Seasoning 1 tbsp
Black Pepper 1 tsp
Crushed Red Pepper 1 tsp
Parsley 2 fl oz
Water 16 fl oz
Thickener 2 fl oz
Heavy Cream 32 fl oz

1.Melt butter, add garlic, saute for 3 minutes. Do NOT brown.

2.Whisk in chicken base, seasonings and wine. Cook 1 minute.

3.Mix water and thickener, add to pan with cream.