COOK’S CORNER

Join me in the kitchen for food, fun and family.

BROILED LOBSTER Tails

Ingredients:
4 lobster tails
Salt and pepper
¼ cup butter melted
3 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme minced
1 teaspoon rosemary minced
1 teaspoon parsley chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to broil or 500 degrees. Start by preparing the lobster. Using kitchen shears butterfly the tail by cutting down the center. Loosen the meat and pull the lobster meat upward. Salt and pepper the meat and set on a baking sheet.
  2. In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter, garlic, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Spread evenly on each lobster tail.
  3. Broil the lobster tails for about 8-10 minutes or until the meat is opaque and lightly brown on the top. Serve with melted butter if desired.

Recipe by Alyssa Rivers

Recipes

Lightly mix 6 ounces ground beef chuck with a big pinch of kosher salt. Form into a ball, then into a ¾-inch-thick patty. Make an indentation in the center. Heat a cast-iron skillet over
medium-high heat; sprinkle the skillet with salt. Cook the burger 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve with a soft bun. Burger can also be cooked on gas grill to desired doneness.

Mix 1 ½ pounds of ground lamb, 1/3 cup each yogurt and feta, 1 teaspoon each garlic, mint, lemon zest and salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Shape into four 1-inch-thick patties.
Brush with oil; grill 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve in pitas with onion, tomato, cucumber and tzatziki*

*Tzatziki Sauce
1 small cucumber, grated Bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
Bunch fresh dill leaves finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup Greek-style yogurt Kosher salt
In a small bowl, combine the cucumber, mint, dill, lemon zest, and yogurt.
Season with salt, to taste, and serve with burgers.

2 slabs of pork baby back ribs or your favorite type of ribs
Jerk Marinade:
½ cup dark soy sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup honey
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons freshly ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup chopped cilantro sprigs
½ cup minced green onions, green and white parts
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
10 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ cup finely minced ginger
3 Scotch bonnet chilies or 6 very finely minced Serrano chilies, including seeds or 2 tablespoons
chili sauce.
Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs. Coat the ribs evenly on both sides with the marinade, refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. For more flavor, marinade up to 8 hours.
Smoke for 3-4 hours for pork ribs, 4-5 hours for beef ribs.
Serves 4

2 fully cooked knockwurst sausages
Four ½ -inch-thick rye bread with caraway seeds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons grainy mustard, or more to taste
¾ cup Pear-Apple Compote
Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the sausages almost in half lengthwise, leaving the two halves just barely attached to each other. Grill the sausage on the press until browned, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Brush each piece of rye bread on one side with the butter. Put the slices, buttered sides down on a cutting board. Spread two of the slices with mustard. Spread the pear-apple compote over the mustard. Arrange two sausage halves on top of the compote, trimming the ends if necessary. Top each sandwich with the remaining bread slices buttered sides up. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down and cook until they are browned and crisp. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

2 large Portobello mushrooms, stemmed and wiped clean
Two ½-inch-thin slices of red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 round Italian rolls
¼ cup Chipotle ketchup
3 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
Brush the mushrooms and onions with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Please them
on the press, pull the top down and cook until softened and browned. Transfer to a plate and let
cool slightly.
Cut the rolls in half with a sharp serrated knife. Spread some chipotle ketchup on the bottom half of each roll. Place a mushroom on each bottom half. Top with a slice of grilled onion.
Cover the onion with cheese. Top the sandwiches with the top halves of the rolls. Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until they are browned and crisp and the
cheese is melted. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately. – Makes 2 sandwiches
Credits: Panini Express – 70 Delicious Recipes, Hot Off the Press – Daniel Leader and Lauren Chattman – The Taunton Press, 2008. Food Network Magazine – 50 Panini

Serves: 4

1 ½ lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered length-wise
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon milk
Salt and pepper
A potato masher

  1. Put potatoes into a saucepan. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Add water until potatoes are covered.
    Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done – a fork can
    easily be poked through them.
  2. Warm cream and melt butter, together either in microwave or in a pan on the stove.
    Drain water from potatoes. Put hot potatoes into a bowl. Add cream and melted butter.
    Use potato masher to mash potatoes until well mashed. Use a strong spoon to beat
    further, adding milk to achieve the consistency you desire. (Do not over-beat or your
    potatoes will get gluey.) Salt and pepper to taste.

Brush the inside of sliced Italian bread with olive oil. Fill with 2 slices each of fresh mozzarella and tomato, and few fresh basil leaves; season with salt and pepper. Press and cook until golden brown.

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
½ teaspoon butter flavoring
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar

Beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed of an electric mixer. Gradually add 2 cups of sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in flavorings.
Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350℉ for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and let cake layers cool completely on wire racks.
Combine water and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Drizzle sugar mixture over cake layers. Stack layers, spreading about 1 cup coconut frosting between layers, and sprinkling ½ cup grated coconut on top and sides with remaining coconut frosting, and sprinkle with remaining coconut. Store in refrigerator. Yield: one 3-layer cake.

Coconuts
1 (1 ¼ pound) fresh coconut, grated,
or 3 cups canned or frozen coconut
Coconut Frosting
2 cups whipping cream ½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon extract
2 drops of butter flavoring

Southern Living – 1991 Annual Recipes – Mae Harkey – Mount Pleasant, North Carolina

Filling:
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped small
¼ cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces ¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350° F
For the Filling:
Mix all the ingredients together. Place into 7 to 8-ounce ramekins
For the topping:
Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Blend the butter into the mixture until it forms pea size lumps. Stir in pecans and sprinkle over filling. Bake crisps for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Courtesy of The Neelys

Mix 1 pound ground turkey, 1 grated green apple, ½ cup minced scallions, ¼ cup panko bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Form into four 1-inch-thick patties, make an indentation in the centers and cook 4 to 5 minutes per each side on oiled grill. Serve on whole-wheat buns.

Mix 1 ¼ pounds ground chicken with ½ cup each grated onion and panko, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, and salt and pepper. Shape into four 1-inch-thick patties and chill. Brush with oil and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side on an oiled grill. Serve on sesame buns.

Ribs with All-Purpose Dry Rub and Sweet-and-Sour Mop
2 pounds country-style spareribs (with bone) or your favorite ribs
All-Purpose Dry Rub:
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
Sweet-and-Sour Mop:
1 cup Japanese rice vinegar, unseasoned
¼ cup honey
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup thin soy sauce
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
To make the rub, using an electric blender, grind the peppercorns, coriander, cloves, and mustard
seeds to a powder. Transfer to a bowl, and add the remaining rub ingredients. Stir well. Makes ½ cup.

Coat the ribs evenly on both sides with half the rub. The remaining rub will last for 6 months sealed inside a jar and stored in your spice rack. Marinate the ribs, refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. For more flavor marinate up to 24 hours.
To make the mop, in a small bowl, combine the mop ingredients and stir well. Occasionally during smoking, baste the ribs with the mop.
Serves 4

Quick Smoking Directions:
Preheat an electric smoker or build a small charcoal fire, bringing the temperature to 200° to 220°. When the coals are ash colored, push them to the outside of the smoker. Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the smoker among the coals, and cover the coals with the cooking grate.
Brush the cooking grate with flavorless cooking oil, such as safflower oil, and lay the ribs meaty side up on the center of the smoker to stand them upright in a rib rack. Cover the smoker.
Regulate the heat so it remains at a medium temperature. Once an hour, brush the ribs with reserved marinade and add additional charcoal briquettes. Smoke the ribs until the meat begins to shrink away from the bones.
Approximate smoking times: pork baby back ribs, spareribs, beef ribs – 3 hours; country-style
spareribs – 3 to 4 hours; beef short ribs – 4 to 5 hours.
Credit: “The Great Ribs Book.” Hugh Carpenter & Teri Sandison, Barnes and Noble Books, 1999

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
4 ½-inch-thick slices dark rye or pumpernickel
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ small garlic clove, but through a garlic press
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons finely chopped capers
½ cup watercress, tough stems trimmed, washed and dried
2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and thinly sliced
4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
Spread some butter on one side of each piece of bread. Combine the mayonnaise, garlic, dill, and capers in a small bowl. Please the bread, buttered sides down on a work surface. Spread some of the mayonnaise on each of the slices. Arrange the watercress on two of the slices.
Arrange the eggs on top of the watercress. Drape the salmon slices over the eggs. Top the remaining bread slices, buttered sides up.
Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down and cook until they are crisp. Carefully remove from the press and serve immediately.

1 ½ cups (about 8 ounces) shredded barbecued chicken
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce (optional)
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 scallion (white and light green parts) finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ciabatta rolls
1 celery stalk, trimmed, tough outer strings peeled away, and thinly sliced.
Combine the chicken and barbecue sauce, if using, in a small bowl and stir to coat.
Make the blue cheese dressing: Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, and scallion in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice the rolls in half and spread some blue cheese dressing on the inside of each roll. Arrange the sliced celery on the bottom halves of the rolls. Pile the chicken on top of the celery. Top
each sandwich with the top half the roll.
Put the sandwiches on the press, pull the top down, and cook until they are brown and crisp.

1 lb. (2 ¼ cups) green split peas
1 large onion – peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
l large leek, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
l large clove of garlic, halved
1 herb bouquet*
2 well-rinsed ham hocks
Salt and pepper
Optional garnish – small toasted croutons**, chopped parsley or chives

*Herb bouquet: Tie 3 cloves of garlic, 4 allspice berries, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 8 sprigs parsley in rinsed cheesecloth or place in bouquet garni muslin bag.
**To make toasted croutons, take 2 or 3 slices of day-old French or Italian loaf bread, cut into cubes. Let dry out a bit (can put in 200° oven for 10 minutes to help dry). Melt a tablespoon or two of butter on medium high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add the bread cubes, spread out in a single layer. Let toast on one side and then turn to the other sides. Add more butter if
necessary. Alternatively you can toss the cubed bread with olive oil and let toast in a 350° oven until lightly browned.

  1. Pick over the peas and remove any stones. Wash and drain peas. Place in a 4-quart pot with vegetables, herb bouquet, ham hocks and 2 ½ quarts of water. Bring to a simmer.
    Skim the residue off the top of the soup for several minutes, until the residue ceases to rise. Cover loosely and simmer about 1 ½ hours, or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally in case they stick to the bottom of the pot.
  2. Remove the ham hocks and herb bouquet from the soup. Purée the soup with a blender.
    An immersion blender works great for this; if you are using a regular blender, take care to work in batches and only fill the blender halfway if the soup is still hot, and hold down the lid while blending. If you want an exceptionally smooth soup, pass the purée through a sieve.
  3. Return the purée to the pot and heat to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with croutons and parsley or chives.
    If you want, don’t discard the ham hocks, but cut away the outer skin and remove the meat from the bones. Dice the meat and serve with the soup.

Brush in the inside of sliced Italian bread with pesto. Fill with 2 slices each of fresh mozzarella and tomato, and a few fresh basil leaves. Add 3 or 4 slices of roasted turkey breast to the
sandwich. Press and cook until golden brown.

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix (Reserve 1 cup and set aside)
½ Cup Melted Butter
3 Large Eggs
1/8 Cup Milk
1 Cup Flour
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup Soft Butter
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Jar Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter (purchased at Williams-Sonoma)

Mix remainder of yellow cake mix with ½ cup melted butter. Then, add one egg (mix well.)
Press lightly into bottom of 9”x13” pan.
Mix Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter with two eggs and 1/8 cup of milk. Pour over cake mixture.
Mix one cup reserved yellow cake mix with one-cup flour, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup soft butter and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
Mix and crumble and spread over top of pumpkin layer.
Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

2 cups self-rising flour
1 Tbsp. Crisco
1 Tbsp. sugar
Vegetable Oil for frying
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

  1. Combine the flour and Crisco in a bowl with a wire whisk until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with perhaps a few lumps here and there.
  2. Warm 1/4 cup of water in the microwave oven until barely warm to the touch. pour the water into a large bowl, add sugar, and stir until dissolved. Add the flour mixture and blend it with a kitchen fork. Work the dough as little as possible.
  3. Turn the dough out on a clean counter and dust with a little flour. Roll it out to a uniform thickness and about 1/4 inch. Cut into rectangles about 2×4 inches. Let sit for a couple of minutes while you heat the oil.
  4. Pour oil to a depth of 1 inch in a large, deep skillet and heat to about 325 degrees. When the beignet dough squares have softened and puffed up a little, drop 4-6 at a time into the hot oil and fry until light brown. Turn once and fry the other side. Drain on paper towel. it’s all righ to fry the misshapen dough pieces from the edge of the dough sheet.
  5. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve hot.
    Credit: Tom Fitzmorris’s New Orleans Food – Stewart, Talbori & Change, 2006