Author Archives: Andy

ITALIAN POTATO SALAD (serves 8)

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  • 5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (use a Russet or Idaho potato)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2/3 cup EVO
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (you can substitute cilantro)
  • Finely chopped scallions – optional

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes.  Drain, cool and chop.  I actually chop mine before I boil them.  They cook quicker.  In a large bowl, mix garlic, olive oil, vinegar and parsley/cilantro.  Add potatoes and toss to evenly coat.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

ULTIMATE ROASTED POTATOES (SERVES 6)

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  • 3 ½ POUNDS Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • ½ t. baking soda
  • 6 T. duck fat
  • 1 T. chopped fresh rosemary

Adjust oven rack to top position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack and hear oven to 475 degrees.

Bring 10 cups water to boil over high heat.  Add potatoes, 1/3 cup salt and baking soda.  Return to boil and cook for 1 minute.  Drain potatoes.  Return potatoes to bot and place over low heat.  Cook, shaking pot occasionally until surface moisture has evaporated, about 2 minutes.  Add 5 T. duck fat and 1 t. salt.  Mix with rubber spatula until potatoes are coated with thick paste, about 30 seconds.  Remove baking sheet from oven, transfer potatoes to sheet and spread into even layer.  Roast for 15 minutes.  Remove sheet from oven.  Using a thin, sharp metal spatula, turn potatoes.  Roast until golden brown, another 12-15 minutes.  While potatoes are on roast, combine rosemary and remaining 1 T. duck fat in a bowl.  Remove potatoes from oven.  Spoon rosemary fat over potatoes and turn again.  Continue to roast until potatoes are well browned and rosemary is fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

BEEF TENDERLOIN

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  • 1 beef tenderloin (3-4 pounds)
  • Frozen lemon juice
  • Lawry’s season salt
  • Garlic powder
  • Butter
  • Kitchen Bouquet

Pour 3 T. frozen lemon juice over tenderloin and let sit for 1 hour.  Pour off lemon juice.  Sprinkle Lawreys to cover all sides of tenderloin.  Sprinkle with garlic powder.  Let sit.  Melt ½ stick of butter.  Stir butter and 2 T. Kitchen Bouquet together.  Spoon or brush mixture over meat.  Cover completely.  Cover pan with saran wrap and aluminum foil.  Refrigerate overnight.  Remove from refrigerator an hour or so prior to cooking.  Bake uncovered in low sided pan.  Do NOT preheat oven.  Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees for rare or to 140 degrees on a meat thermometer.

CHICKEN CYNTHIA

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  • 3 T. flour
  • 1 t. salt
  • 2 chicken breasts, skinned, boned and halved
  • 4 chicken thighs, skinned and boned
  • 1 T. butter
  • 1 T. oil
  • 2 T. curacao
  • ¾ cup dry Champagne
  • 1 cup chicken bouillon
  • 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 T. butter, melted
  • ½ cup whipping cream

Combine flour and salt.  Coat chicken pieces with flour mixture.  Heat 1 T. butter and oil in large skillet.  Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes on each side.  Place chicken in 9x9x2 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees uncovered.  Pour fat from skillet and add curacao, champagne and bouillon.  Bring just to a simmer.  Add chicken and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until tender.  Cook mushrooms in 1 T. butter and add to chicken along with cream. 

BANANA CARMEL PIE

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1 can Eagle Brand milk

  • 1 graham cracker crust in 9” pie dish
  • ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 3-4 ripe bananas
  • 1 package dream whip

 Cover can of milk with water and boil for 3 continuous hours.  You will have to keep adding boiling water as it will boil away.  Be sure can is always covered.  Then refrigerate can for 24 hours.  Open can at both ends and slide out carmel roll.  Cut in ½” slices and place on pie crust bottom.  Sprinkle chopped nuts over carmel, then sliced bananas.  Cover with dream whip.  Refrigerate 3 hours.

ROASTED TOMATOES

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  • 12 plum tomatoes
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 ½ T. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • 2 t. sugar
  • salt and pepper
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Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and pulp, leaving core intact. Drizzle evenly with oil and vinegar.  Sprinkle garlic, sugar, and salt and pepper.  Place on cookie sheet and roast for 2 hours.  Let cool and store at room temp or in refrigerator.

TOASTS FOR COCKTAILS BHCC STYLE

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  • 1 loaf of thin sliced Pepperidge Farm white bread
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  • ½ – ¾ melted butter
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  • 1 clove garlic crushed
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  • 1-2 tsp of herbs (tarragon, thyme, parsley)  all dried and mixed.  This is 1-2 tsp. Total.
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Butter each side of bread, stack 5-6 high and cut diagonally or in half length wise.

 Place on cookie sheet in 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes.  Turn once and reverse pan on rack so it doesn’t burn.

MOUSSAKA (2015)

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  • 3 large eggplants
  • salt
  • 2 pounds lean ground lamb
  • ¼ -1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 medium onions chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ T. ground cinnamon
  • ½ T. grated nutmeg
  • 2 t. dried oregano
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) whole tomatoes, un-drained
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 5 cups (3/4 pound) grated Kasseri cheese or Italian sharp.
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Peel eggplant in lengthwise strips leaving a strip of skin every so often.  Cut in ½ inch slices, sprinkle with salt and let sit on paper towel for a while to absorb moisture.

Place lamb and 1 T. oil in skillet.  Cook, crumbling meat with a fork over high heat until just brown (3-4 minutes).  Add onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes.  Season with herbs and cook 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes, wine, salt and pepper.  Simmer uncovered 25-30 minutes.  Remove from heat.

 Pat eggplant dry with paper towel.  Dribble little olive oil in pan and sauté in batches until lightly browned on both sides.  Don’t add too much oil.  Heat oven to 300 degrees.

 Prepare béchamel sauces:

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  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 6 T. flour
  • 4 cups hot milk
  • ½ t. grated nutmeg
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 large eggs beaten
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Add flour to butter and whisk until smooth.  Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in milk and cook stirring constantly until smooth and thickened.  Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Stir ½ c. hot sauce into beaten eggs and then add egg mixture to remaining sauce.  Cook several minutes longer, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

 Arrange ½ eggplant in rectangular casserole.  Spread lamb sauce over eggplant and sprinkle with 1/2mcheese.  Top with remaining eggplant.  Pour the béchamel over all and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake for 1 hour.  Let cool to room temp, then refrigerate overnight.  Let come to room temp before baking in 350 degree oven about 30 minutes.  Makes 12-14 servings

CHILI ALA SUE JONES FROM ALTAIR

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  • 2 pounds ground bee
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1/4 t. garlic powder
  • 1 T. Franks Red Hot Sauce
  • 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 envelope Chili seasoning (McCormick’s)
  • 2 cans dark red kidney beans un-drained
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes, chili ready (14.5 oz size)
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes with mild green chilies (14.5 oz size)
  • 1 small can tomato paste (6 oz)

 Brown meat with onion, celery, garlic powder, hot sauce and Worcestershire.  Transfer to largo pot.  Add chili seasoning, beans, tomatoes and tomato paste and enough water to rinse all the cans.  Simmer for 1-2 hours.  Serve with shredded cheddar and sour cream.