Sep 29, 2009 1:27 pm US/Pacific
Chefs and Bakers - 9/29/09
Meet the Neelys, one of television's famous cooking couples. Also, famed chef Thomas Keller demonstrates his latest food passion – waffles!
Pamplemousse Pâtisserie et Café
2401 Broadway Street
Redwood City, CA 94063
tel: (650) 599-9714
fax: (650) 599-9754
http://www.pamplemoussecakes.com/
"Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook" by Patrick and Gina Neely.
www.neelysbbq.com
"Down Home with the Neelys"
www.foodnetwork.com/down-home-with-the-neelys/index.html
"Road Tested with the Neelys"
www.foodnetwork.com/road-tasted-with-the-neelys/index.html
All Recipes Courtesy Pat and Gina Neely, from the book "Down Home with the Neelys: A Southern Family Cookbook."
Cheesy Corkscrews with Crunchy Bacon Topping
Serves 6 to 8
Pat: When I was growing up in Memphis, everyone had their own special mac--and--cheese recipe. Traditionally, the matriarchs used elbow noodles, but my girls love experimenting with different pasta, and we fell in love with cavatappi, because its tubular spiral shape holds plenty of cheese sauce, making every forkful a delight (of course, old--fashioned elbows will also work just fine).
A piquant, cheesy white sauce and a crispy topping made from potato chips and bacon creates the best-and most indulgent-version of mac and cheese that we have ever tasted. Served alongside roast chicken, or with a simple green salad and a glass of great red wine, this is the ultimate comfort food.
Cheesy Corkscrews
6 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing
Kosher salt
1 pound cavatappi (or other tubular pasta)
1/2 cup all--purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Dash hot sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
4 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Crunchy Bacon Topping
1 1/2 cups crushed potato chips
1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 3--quart casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and cook the pasta until it's al dente. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the warmed milk, and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly (the mixture will thicken as the heat increases).
Stir the dry mustard, salt, black pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce into the thickened milk. Stir in 3 cups of the cheddar, and the Pecorino Romano, until the cheeses melt. Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, and toss to combine. Pour the cheese--apalooza mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the potato chips, Pecorino Romano, crumbled bacon, parsley, and the remaining cheddar. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the macaroni and cheese, and bake for 35 minutes. For a crunchier topping, finish under the broiler for 3 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven, and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Barbecue Spaghetti
Serves 8 to 10
Pat: A passion for pasta via Memphis equals . . . barbecue spaghetti?!? Initially, our customers were skeptical about trying this dish-that is, until Tony and I started giving out free samples to everyone who came through the door. After about two weeks, the sampling wasn't necessary, because people were hooked. These days we go through about 200 gallons of barbecue spaghetti a week; people from all over the country go wild for the tangy, saucy noodles tossed with smoky chunks of meat (it's become one of our best- selling dishes). And we promise, after making this dish, you'll understand why. Serve it as a side dish (with barbecued or roasted meats) or a meal.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups Neely's Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)
2 pounds cooked spaghetti
2 pounds smoked pork, beef, or chicken, coarsely chopped (see note)
Hot sauce, as desired (optional)
NOTE: You can also use grilled or roasted meat, although it won't deliver the same smoky flavor. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion, green pepper, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently to prevent from sticking, until the vegetables have softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in the Neely's Barbecue Sauce, and simmer for about 5 minutes, until slightly reduced.
When you're ready to serve the dish, add the spaghetti, smoked meat, and hot sauce, if desired, and toss well to combine.
Neely's Barbecue Sauce
Makes about 2 cups
2 cups ketchup
1 cup water
¼ cup light-brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup apple-cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon Neely's Barbecue Seasoning
Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot or a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reduce the temperature to very low and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat, cool, and use as needed. Stored in a tightly sealed container, this sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Neely's Barbecue Seasoning
Makes about 2 1/2 cups
1 ½ cups paprika
¾ cup sugar
3 ¾ tablespoons onion powder
Stir together the ingredients in a small bowl. Stored in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place, this seasoning will last for up to six months.
Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad with Potatoes and Pistachios
Serves 6
A plain old grilled chicken breast can be a bit uninspired, so we like to jazz up our breasts (who said that?) in this version of grilled chicken salad that has plenty of moxie. The marinade of fresh lemon juice and zest, olive oil, and fresh herbs infuses the chicken with a bright, sunny flavor (so yummy that you'll want to use the marinade again and again for grilled meats). Here we team the grilled chicken with potatoes, celery, green olives, pistachios, and a creamy mayonnaise dressing for an over- the- top texture- and- flavor combination. This recipe doubles or triples beautifully, so it's great for special lunches (think birthday parties, anniversaries, or bridal showers). It's also great with a glass of chilled white wine and a crackly baguette.
Chicken
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red- pepper flakes
4 skinless, boneless chicken- breast
Halves
Salad
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1?2- inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 cup coarsely chopped brine- cured green olives
1/3 cup coarsely chopped shelled roasted, salted pistachios
Combine the thyme, olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper, and red- pepper flakes in a 1- gallon Ziploc bag. Add the chicken to the bag, seal it, and gently massage the ingredients to combine. Marinate the chicken at room temperature for 1 hour, or chill for up to 8 hours, massaging and turning the bag occasionally. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 2 inches. Add a pinch of salt, bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer the potatoes until tender, about 12-14 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander, and then place them in a large bowl. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small bowl; whisk to blend, and then season the dressing with salt and pepper. Cover, and chill until ready to use. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium- high. Remove the chicken from marinade, and grill the breasts until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes per side (do not overcook). Transfer the chicken to a work surface, and let cool for 15 minutes. Cut the chicken into 1?2- inch cubes; add to the potatoes in the bowl, and then mix in the celery, olives, and dressing until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the salad to a serving platter, top with the chopped pistachios, and serve immediately. You can also chill this salad up to a day in advance, but hold off on adding the pistachios until just before serving (so they won't get soft in the fridge), and you'll want to bring the salad to room temperature before serving.
Elegant Cheese Cakes
(650) 728-2248
www.elegantcheesecakes.com
Thomas Keller
www.tkrg.org
Williams Sonoma
www.williams-sonoma.com
All-Clad
www.all-clad.com
Bacon and Egg Waffles
Recipe Courtesy Thomas Keller and All-Clad.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup applewood-smoked
Bacon
1 recipe Basic Batter (see below)
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 poached eggs
Maple syrup, warm
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the waffle maker on setting 5. Preheat an oven to 200°F. Place a large wire rack in a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven. Cook the bacon in a skillet or in the microwave for about 3 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked halfway but is not yet crisp. Drain the bacon and then finely chop. Stir the bacon into the batter.
Ladle a generous 1/3 cup of batter into each well of the waffle maker and close the lid. Cook the waffles on setting 5 for 5 minutes. Lift the lid and check the waffle. It should be golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately, or keep warm on the rack set up in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
While the waffle cooks, place the butter in a small saucepan and heat over low heat. When the butter is two-thirds melted, remove from the heat and stir to melt the remaining butter, maintaining a creamy texture. Cut the cooked waffles into two rectangles each and arrange on serving plates.
Brush the tops of the waffles with softened butter, top each portion with an egg, drizzle with maple syrup and finish with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Soufflé Waffles With Strawberries
Recipe Courtesy Thomas Keller and All-Clad.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh strawberries
1 to 2 tablespoons honey
Lemon juice to taste
1 recipe Basic Yeast Batter (see below)
4 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
1 cup whipped sweetened cream
Powdered sugar
Remove the stems from the strawberries. Dice enough strawberries to make one cup. Place in a bowl. Puree the remaining strawberries in a blender with 1 tablespoon of honey and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Taste and add more honey and lemon juice as desired. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Stir about 2 tablespoons of the sauce into the diced berries to moisten. Refrigerate until serving.
Preheat the waffle maker on setting 6. Preheat an oven to 200°F. Place a large wire rack on a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven. Just before cooking, fold the egg whites into the batter.
Ladle a generous 1/3 cup of batter into each well of the waffle maker and close the lid. Cook the waffles on setting 6 for 5 minutes.
Keep warm on the rack set up in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. Cut each waffle if desired.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of strawberry sauce on each serving plate.
Top with a waffle and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the diced berries over the top. Garnish with the whipped cream and a dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately.
Yeast Waffles
Recipe Courtesy Thomas Keller and All-Clad.
1 quart , 8 Waffles
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup milk
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup warm water
1 package dry yeast
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs,lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Place the milk in a small pot with the butter. Place over medium heat and warm to melt the butter, then remove from the heat. Place the warm water in a bowl and sprinkle with the yeast. Let sit for about 10 minutes, then, stir to dissolve.
Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the dissolved yeast, the milk and butter. Cover tightly with a piece of plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours. The mixture will bubble.
Stir in the eggs and baking soda.
Preheat the waffle maker on setting 6. Preheat an oven to 200°F. Place a large wire rack in a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven.
Ladle a generous 1/3 cup of batter into each well of the waffle maker and close the lid. Cook the waffles on setting 6 for 5 minutes. Lift the lid and check the waffle. It should be golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately, or keep warm on the rack set up in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the waffles as soon as possible.
Studio Cake
104 Gilbert Avenue
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650)575-5700
www.studiocake.com
Sur La Table
77 Maiden Lane
San Francisco, CA 94108
www.surlatable.com
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments