House Special Fried Rice, Roche style

 Another fast, easy, and delicious fried rice creation from Nick’s kitchen, you must try this. It’s full of nutrients, low on fat and calories, and oh, did I mention full of flavors?

Ingredients

Brown rice 6 cups cooked

Scallops, 8 oz., small

Shrimp, 8 oz. bay size

Shallots, 4 tbsp chopped

Scallions, .75 cup, chopped

*Peppers, 1 large, chopped

Garlic, 10 cloves

*Kikoman Stir Fry Sauce, 1.25 tbsp

*Eden Mirin (rice cooking wine), 3 tbsp

*Kikkoman Lite Soy Sauce, .35 tbsp

Egg, fresh, whole, raw, 2 large

*Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 4 tbsp

Salt, .5 tsp

Chicken Breast (cooked), no skin, 4 ounces chopped

fresh ginger, 3 teaspoons chopped

Tips

You can also use 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce for added flavor. When doing so, add it to the cooked vegetables and seafood before you add it to the rice.

Pre-cook your rice as per package directions.

While rice is cooking, saute ginger, garlic, bell pepper, and shallots in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat for approximately 6 minutes. Add half the Mirin, stir.

Remove ingredients from pan into a bowl. Set aside.

In same fry pan, saute shrimp and scallops in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat for 5 minutes, frequently stirring. Salt and pepper with half the salt. Remove seafood from pan and add to cooked vegetable bowl.

Clean fry pan, spray with cooking spray. Lightly scramble raw eggs and saute over medium high heat, stirring so as to make scrambled eggs. DO        NOT OVERCOOK. Remove eggs to a small bowl.

When rice is cooked, stir fry in large fry pan with remaining olive oil

over medium high heat, stirring frequently.

To the bowl with seafood and vegetables, add the remaining Mirin, stir fry sauce, salt, lite soy sauce, pepper, chicken breast (chopped), and stir well.

Add ingredients to the rice, stirring well and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped scallions (green onions) and cooked eggs and stir well.

Turn heat off, remove pan and taste for proper seasonings. If you want more salt, add another teaspoon of lite soy sauce. Serve hot.

Serving Size: makes 8 servings approx. 1 1/2 cups each

Number of Servings: 8

Stir fried rice lovers, you will remember this one!

If you are a rice lover, that's one thing; however, if you are a stir fried rice lover, this recipe creation propels this grain to a whole new level. And if you follow the preparation to a tee, this dish will take your taste buds to what they may consider taste bud heaven!

Let's face it, things don't get much better to the palate than a dish of fried rice when prepared to perfection and the Chinese have been one of the Masters of this dish since time began. And then along comes this cocky Frenchman (yours truly) who dares step into their culinary territory and try his hand at perfecting something that has already reached its pinnacle. Mais pourquoi, one might ask, would anyone dare stick his or her neck out and try to beat the Champions at their best game? It is perhaps because he loves the challenge.

This creation of a stir fried rice has now been tested by a handful of people and their verdict has been two thumbs up so far. So now you be the judge and jury. Prepare it and see for yourself. Is it worthy of a place at your table?

Precook your rice:

1 cup of brown jasmine rice (uncooked)
2 cups of water
1 or 2 pinches of salt
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil

Follow the directions on the package, bringing the water to a boil in a medium pot. Then add the oil and the salt. Rinse the rice well, drain, and add to the pot. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 to 50 minutes. You can use 1/4 cup less water if you cook for 45 minutes and want your rice a bit firmer. IF you can't find the brown jasmine rice, the traditional white should work fine; however, remember, this dish was prepared with the brown.

While rice is cooking, prepare all the other ingredients:

1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 cups of finely shredded Napa cabbage
5 cloves of fresh garlic, finely diced
1 teaspoon of ginger root, finely diced
1/2 cup of Edamame beans (w/o pods, precooked)
2 lightly beaten medium sized eggs
3 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
3 tablespoons of Mirin (kind of like a rice wine)
2 teaspoons of Hoisan sauce
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
1/4 cup of hot water
10 shakes of the table salt shaker (about a teaspoon or less)
7 shakes of black pepper

Please note: wait until the final step to add the salt and pepper so that you can taste and judge now much you want. Some people like more salt and others less.

In a medium glass, add the 1/4 cup of hot water, Mirin, Hoisan sauce, and oyster sauce together and stir until well diluted, set aside.

Prepare all your vegetables per the preparation above, chopping and dicing, etc. Place the Edamame beans in a microwavable dish, along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover tightly, and microwave on high for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Set aside and uncover after a minute. Most of the podded Edamame will come frozen, for your information, and it can be found in the frozen vegetable section of your grocery store.

In a large (10 inch) fry pan (or wok, if you have one), add half of the vegetable oil and heat on high, but don't allow the oil to start smoking. Once the oil is hot, add the diced red bell peppers and saute while stirring for about 90 seconds. Next, add the garlic, ginger, and shallots and continue stirring for another 90 seconds.

Reduce the heat to medium high and add the cabbage. Toss and stir so that all ingredients are well mixed together and continue to saute for another 2 minutes. You may, at this time, add 5 shakes of the salt shaker and the ground pepper. Stir, then remove from the pan into a bowl.

Make sure the pan has been scraped with a metal spatula, then add half of the remaining vegetable oil, and quickly saute the 2 beaten eggs over medium high heat. Don't overcook the eggs, Chop and stir with your spatula for about 45 seconds and remove eggs into a small bowl.

Again, scrape the bottom of the pan well, then add the rest of the vegetable oil and the sesame oil into the pan and heat at medium high heat. When oil is nice and hot, it will easily coat the bottom of the pan when you swirl the pan around. Now, add your cooked rice to the pan and stir, scraping the bottom frequently as you stir. Fry the rice for about 2 minutes.

Next, add the sauteed vegetables to the rice and stir so that all ingredients are very well mixed. Add the Edamame beans and continue to saute for another minute. Add the liquid mixture you had set aside and stir until all ingredients are well coated. Finally, add the cooked eggs and do a final stir so they are well distributed throughout the dish. Give yourself one last taste for flavor and add a bit more salt and pepper if needed.

Transfer the fried rice to a heated large serving bowl and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Serve hot all by itself or with your favorite meat. This preparation will yield 6 servings if accompanied by a second item or about 5, if served by itself. Enjoy your creation and please feel free to critique it as you seem fit.

Thai Peanut Sauce Fried Rice Recipe

This rice dish pairs very well with the Basil Baked Game Hen entree. The flavors are exquisite with just a touch of heat. Each bite will have you going back for more (you may even find yourself sneaking a small bowl of it as a later evening snack). Not only will this rice dish hold its head high against the best of restaurant fried rice dishes, but it's so simple to prepare that you'll want to make it often, with variations on the ingredients.

• 4 oz. of pork loin, diced
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped leek
• 1/2 cup of chopped fresh red pepper
• 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic
• 1/4 cup of fresh sweet Thai basil, chopped
• 3 tablespoons of Thai peanut sauce
• 2 pinches of dried chili pepper
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 cup of uncooked short grain rice
• 1/2 cup of white rice wine
• 1 2/3 cup of water
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Begin by bringing water to a boil in a medium pan.
2. Add the rice, some salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bring back to a boil, stir well, lower heat to low, and cover. Allow to cook for about 20 minutes.
3. While rice is cooking, prepare all other ingredients, chopping and mincing. Be sure to use the lower part of the leek stalk (the white part). You may substitute 1/2 finely chopped onion for the leek if you prefer.
4. Heat the olive and sesame oil in a large fry pan or wok over medium high heat.
5. Saute the meat until browned, then add the leek and red pepper. Continue to saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
6. Next add the garlic, stir, and continue cooking for another few minutes.
7. Add the rice wine and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
8. Lower heat to medium low and stir in the peanut sauce. Then stir in the fresh basil and 2 pinches of the red pepper flakes. Taste for flavor, add your desired pepper and salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
9. Wipe the fry pan (or wok) with a clean paper towel. Add a bit of olive oil enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Heat over a medium high heat.
10. Flake the cooked rice with a fork and add it to the fry pan. Stir quickly and saute rice for about 2 minutes.
11. Add the cooked ingredients you set aside to the rice and stir until all ingredients are well incorporated with the rice. Sprinkle in a bit of sesame oil and do one final stir. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving bowl. Serve hot.  

Farro gets dressed up in the wonderful colors of Italy

Farro is a food product consisting of the grains of certain wheat species in whole form. The exact definition is debated.  It is sold dried and is prepared by cooking in water until soft, but still crunchy (many recommend first soaking over night). It may be eaten plain, though it is often used as an ingredient in dishes such as salads and soups. It is sometimes ground into flour and used to make pasta or bread. (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

A wonderful way of preparing Farro is to cook as directed in water or chicken stock and then adding it to a medley of sauteed peppers, garlic, and onion. Prepared this way, Farro can be served as an entree for vegetarians or as a side dish to chicken, fish, or pork. The preparation is very easy and takes no time.

To prepare the Farro, bring 3 cups of water or chicken stock to a boil for 1 cup of Farro. Boil for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until al dente. Drain the grain and set aside.

Prepare a medley of vegetables for saute. For this recipe, the following items were selected:

1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
2 pinches of roasted Spanish Paprika
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 pinches of dried basil
1/2 cup of white wine (dry)
1 squeeze of 1/2 lime

Heat the oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the peppers and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Next add the onions and continue to saute 5 more minutes. Finally, add the garlic and tomato. Stir well and add the wine and all other ingredients. Stir until well mixed. Reduce heat and allow to cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.

As a final step, add the Farro into the sauteed medley and mix well. Check for seasoning and add a bit more salt if needed. Serve hot or allow to cool to room temperature and serve with a drizzle of olive oil. This method of preparing Farro incorporates wonderful rich flavors with the Farro soaking up the juices. It's just simply wonderful.

Black Japonica Rice is truly "The Emperor's Rice"

Black Japonica has its historical roots in Northern China where it was known as, "The Emperor's Rice". It is a minimally processed rice; therefore, it tends to retain most of its natural nutritional value as well as its rich bran. Traditionally, it tends to be a sticky rice; however, this preparation allows the grains to remain loose and yet retain that somewhat chewy texture. This is a wonderful rice served both hot or chilled. This preparation is as follows:

1 cup of Black Japonica Rice
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspsoon of butter
6 oz. of coconut milk (170 ml)
1 red bell pepper, sliced and chopped
1 green Italian pepper, sliced and chopped
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of crushed garlic
2 teaspoons of fresh ginger, minced
3 pinches of red chili flakes
1 level teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of crushed black pepper

Heat the sesame oil and butter in a pan over medium heat. When butter is melted and begins to foam, add the uncooked rice and stir, bringing heat to medium high. Continue to stir for about a minute or so to toast rice. Now add your water, stir and bring to a boil. When boiling occurs, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook covered for about 40 min at low heat.

While rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium high heat. When oil begins to smoke slightly, add the peppers, shallots, and ginger, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. When peppers begin to brown, reduce heat to medium low and add the coconut milk and stir. Bring heat to low and add the remaining ingredients (crushed garlic, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper) and stir to blend everything together. Cover and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once rice is cooked, drain any excess water there may be and add rice to the pan with the peppers and sauce. Stir so rice is completely coated. Taste for flavor and add more salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot. This is a delicious side dish that can be served with pan fried chicken strips or your favorite seafood, or you can eat it all by itself. Enjoy!

Spice it up a bit with Mexican Paella

By now, if you have been following this blog, you are familiar with the Spanish Paella that has been presented and well reviewed. The dish is a wonderful and delicate flavor of what Spain has to offer, the abundance of seafoods, fresh vegetables, its famous Bomba rice, and of course one must not forget the great Spanish pork used for chorizo. All that's well and good and over time it has become an all time favorite on the request list of dishes to make at my dinner parties. But it's time to spice it up a bit and bring it closer to home with a flavor from south of the border, Mexico!

Bringing in the taste of Mexico is a perfect marriage for Paella. Mexican chorizo, tomatillos, and spicy green chilies simply sets sail the Paella that made culinary Spain famous across the Atlantic to become Mexican Paella that everyone is sure to embrace every bit as much as its famous cousin. So without further dissertation, let's begin with our shopping list.

Enough to feed 6 people:

2 lbs of chicken wings
1 pound of shelled and cleaned medium shrimp
1 pound of Mexican chorizo, medium heat, sliced in 1/2 inch thickness
2 pounds of fresh Manila clams in shell
1 1/2 cups of short grain rice (Bomba is best)
2 medium sized tomatillos, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, diced
1 small green chili, finely diced (2 if you're brave)
2 medium shallots, diced
1 1/2 cup of frozen baby peas
2 cups of fresh green beans, cut in 1 inch sizes
1/4 cup of olive oil
4 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1/4 cup of Tequila
1 teaspoon of paprika (smoked if possible)
1 cup of diced tomato
1/4 teaspoon of red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of Saffron threads
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt (to taste, so taste before)

The best way not to make this dish labor intensive or complicated, let alone intimidating, it is best, as always, to do all your prep work ahead of time so that all you have to concentrate on is the cooking. Trust me, it works very well that way. So start gathering all your ingredients in their proper amounts, wash, soak, slice, chop, and dice. You're now halfway there. In a very large pan (either paella pan 14" or large oval dutch oven ) heat the olive oil over medium heat. The oil should completely cover the pan. If it doesn't, just add a bit more.

Start by sauteing the chorizo until they are slightly browned and the oil has taken on a shade of the color of the chorizo. Remove the chorizo and now brown your chicken wings for a few minutes. Remove and set alongside the chorizo. If the oil gets too hot, simply turn down the heat slightly.

Next, saute in the same pan, the onion, garlic, diced chili,, and shallots until they become translucent and begin to slightly brown. Once this occurs, add the Tequila and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Stir well so that Tequila gets absorbed completely by the onions. Now, add the tomatillos and the rice. Stir well so that rice gets well coated. Allow the rice to saute for no more than a minute or so. Now you can add the chicken stock but save 1/2 cup to heat up separately for the saffron threads. Stir well and add the green beans, paprika, diced tomato, black pepper, salt, and chili powder.

While you await the stock to come to a slow boil, heat the chicken stock you set aside in the microwave and add the saffron threads. Allow them to completely bleed into the stock. Add to the rest of your stock. When chicken stock begins to boil, add the chorizo and chicken back into the pot, bring back to a aboil, and then reduce heat to low and cover for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the peas, clams, and shrimp, carefully immersing the clams into the rice and broth. Cover again and allow to cook for an additional 10 minutes. When finished, there should possibly be a small amount of liquid left, which is totally fine. Remove from heat and allow to rest semi covered for about 10 minutes. This will allow the rice to complete its absorption of the liquid and you will have a perfectly moist but firm rice.

Present the Mexican Paella in the dish it was cooked in so that it will remain hot. Your guests will be impressed with your culinary prowess and melt in their seats when they savour the first bite. And you won't have to tell them how easy it was to make. Enjoy!

Chicken Breast Stir Fry is always a favorite amongst weight watchers

It's been a busy week and NonChef's blogsite has suffered for it. A week without a new recipe post is completely out of the norm and sincere apologies are called for to all who follow. It's Sunday evening and time has finally opened up to post a recipe that is always a favorite quick meal that provides easy calories, low fat and cholesterol, without sacrificing flavor (and it ain't bad looking too).

Chicken Breast Stir Fry is a very easy dish to make and it will satisfy every member of your family and there's nothing like making a wonderful Asian dish from home. It's worth mention that this dish should be accompanied by a nice bowl of steamed white rice sprinkled with finely chopped scallions. Let's get our ingredients together for this dish that will serve 4:

4 boneless chicken breast halves, sliced thin diagonally
3 medium carrots, peeled and julienned thin
1 medium zuchini, sliced thin
6 button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves of garlic, slivered
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
4 oz. of haricots verts (French green beans)
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
4 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 cup of water, white wine, or rice wine (your choice)

As it is always recommended, get all your prep work done. There is a good 15 to 20 minutes of prep work for this dish with all the slicing, chopping, etc. If you have a wok, I would suggest using it as it is ideal. Since this stove top is a glass top, a wok will not work, so if you're in the same situation, get the largest saute or frying pan you have.

What you are going to want to do is to cook certain ingredients separately, on very high heat, and quickly. We will start with the chicken breast first. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, it's hot enough. Quickly saute the chicken. Within a couple of minutes, it should be cooked with a wonderful semi golden color. Remove from pan and set aside.

Now, add the remainder of the olive oil and first add the green beans and carrots and saute for a couple of minutes until some of them begin to slightly char. Next, add the onions, garlic, and green bell pepper, toss and continue to cook. You may at this time lower the heat to medium.  Continue to saute for about 2 more minutes and finally add the mushrooms and zuchini. Quickly toss and stir, saute for another minute but no longer. Remove vegetables from pan and add them with the chicken.

No deglaze the pan by adding the water or wine, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar and stir, reducing heat to medium low. Add your salt and pepper, stir well. Now add your sauce to the chicken and vegetables and toss well to coat everything. Finally, add the sesame oil to the dish, along with the sesame seeds and parsley and toss gently one last time. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with the rice. Enjoy this dish. It's a wonderful way of making stir fry. The vegetables will be done al dente and not over cooked. The flavors and absolutely wonderful!

Forty minutes from start to finish and you get a culinary delight

Truly a delight to make as it is to eat; Chicken Saffron Rice raises the bar for simplicity in the kitchen. It really only takes 40 minutes to make from start to serve, 10 minutes to slice and chop, 10 minutes to sauté, and 20 minutes to slow cook. Now how tough can that be? If you're looking for a culinary richness of flavors and colors, you must treat your guests to this, and you won't be spending all evening in the kitchen! Here's what you will need:

1 large (3/4 lb) boneless chicken breast
2 sausage links (either Italian or Chorizo)
1 large green Italian pepper
1 large red bell pepper(roasted if possible)
1 medium yellow onion
1 large shallot
12 cloves of garlic, left whole
1/2 teaspoon of Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon of Saffron threads
1 1/2 cups of short grain rice
3 cups of chicken stock (or broth)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

That's all you need. A word about the peppers first. The Italian green peppers can be found in the produce section of your grocery store. They are a bit smaller and deeper green than regular bell peppers and they are very good with a thinner skin. They are also usually cheaper than the bells and come to about 70 cents per pepper. As far as the red pepper, if you can roast them, great. Otherwise, you can also purchase roasted red peppers in the jar, usually on sale for $2.99 to $3.49 per jar, which contain 2 to 3 peppers. Now that comes to less than fresh red bell peppers price wise. In any case, it's your choice.

OK, glad we got that out of the way. Let's start with our first 10 minutes by slicing and chopping. Start by slicing your chicken breast in 1/2 inch thickness and about 2 inch lengths, the sausage at 1/2 inch thickness, the onion roughly cut into eighths, the shallots finely chopped, and the peppers in 2 by 2 inch slices. Remember to leave the garlic cloves whole.

Now heat your oil in a deep (3 inch) skillet that's a good 10 inches in diameter, over medium high heat. Start by browning the sausage, about 3 to 4 minutes. Next, add the peppers (except the red if you bought the jar version), stirring for a couple of minutes. Next, add the chicken, shallots, and garlic, stirring for another 2 minutes. Finally, add the onions, stir for another minute or so. Bring the heat to high and add the chicken stock, paprika, and saffron threads, stir well for one minute. At this time, if you bought the roasted red peppers in a jar, you may add them now. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper to your taste.

When broth comes to a boil, which should take less than a minute, add the rice, stir well, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for 20 minutes. When rice is done, stir gently, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes if you want, or just plate each portion for your guests. This recipe will make enough for 4 dinner guests. You may finish dinner with a nice tossed salad of baby spinach leaves which will compliment the entree. Enjoy and bon appétit!

Save The Turkey Leftovers For The Weekend - Make Something Simple Today... Seafood Stir Fried Rice

After a day of stuffing our bellies with turkey, dressing, and all the gravy we could eat, it's nice to give it a rest on Friday and eat something on the lighter side. I love Chinese Food and adore seafood. I am always trying to come up with new variations of the two, but I always come back to my favorite, stir frying shrimp and scallops along with savory vegetables and ... oh, need I say more? This dish is so flavorful and a perfect dish when home alone and you want to cook for nobody else but yourself.


Serves 2 but you'll want to eat it all yourself

1 cup short grain rice
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 pound bay shrimp
1/4 pound bay scallops (small ones)
2 medium shallots, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 green onions, finely sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons pimientos
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon course ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

1.In a pot, bring chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a boil, add rice, and cook covered, reducing heat to low. Cook according to directions (about 18 to 20 minutes. When cooked, gently stir using a fork. Set aside.

2.In a saute pan, saute onions, shallots, celery, and garlic in the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Saute for about 3 minutes.

3.Now add the shrimp and scallops and saute, stirring for about 30 seconds, then add pimientos and green onions, stirring for another 30 seconds. Add the water.

4.Now add the sesame oil and the cooked rice, stir well so all ingredients are incorporated and rice is well coated. Add the salt and pepper, along with the sesame seeds. Stir for about 20 seconds and transfer to a serving platter. Serve hot.
 
Now how easy was that? If you want to feed a group of 4, just double the quantities of the ingredients. If you want, you may also add some shredded bbq pork, which can be found pre cooked in your grocery store. After a long day of tedious cooking for Thanksgiving, it's nice to give it a rest and make something simple. Save the turkey leftovers for the weekend!!

An Absolute Explosion of Flavor - Crab Orzo "Risotto"

You're going to want this. You're going to want this bad! I had no idea that what I was creating at Noon was going to have such full flavors. I mean let's face it, crab is mild, orzo itself is bland; however, when I combined it all with the other ingredients, flavors exploded. I took my time making this, making sure that I stirred and stirred and watched it every step of the way. I've had requests to create recipes for Dungeness Crab and I wanted to make sure this recipe turned out right. All the while I wanted to make sure that it was also going to be easy for everyone to make. Easy ingredients are also included. Check them out:

1cup of Orzo
8 ounces of Dungeness Crab meat, I prefer the legs and claws
4 cups of fish stock
1/4 cup of dry white wine
1/4 cup of sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup of cream
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated Parm
1/4 cup large capers
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil

In a 10 inch pan, spray bottom with cooking spray, add the olive oil and heat over medium high heat. I should mention at this point that I assume you have done your prep work and everything is chopped, minced, and grated. OK, now saute the shallots and garlic, lowering heat to medium. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add the orzo. Stir well so that orzo is well coated with the oil. Continue cooking for another minute or two, constantly stirring. Once you sense that the orzo is just beginning to stick to the pan, add the Marsala and the white wine and stir well.

Next you want to start adding the fish stock one cup at a time. Add the first cup, stir, and bring to a slow boil. Turn heat down a bit so that liquid doesn't boil too hard. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes and then add the second cup of fish stock. Reduce heat to medium low and bring back to a slow boil. Let it slow boil for about 6 to 8 more minutes. The orzo should begin to soften and liquid turning creamy. This is what you want to happen. Cooking orzo is a slow process and you want to constantly stir and keep adding moisture because in the end, you want the orzo to be cooked al dente with a creamy liquid.

Go ahead and add 1/2 cup more of the fish stock, continually stirring, this time stir like you are folding whipped cream into a batter, you know what I mean? Keep an eye on the liquid. As it reduces, keep adding a little more until you have used all 4 cups of the stock. Once all the stock is added, the orzo should have been cooking for about 12 to 15 minutes. Taste test the orzo for doneness. It should be very close to al dente but not quite.

Once you have reached that almost al dente finish, begin to add the cheese a little at a time, all the while stirring so that cheese melts nicely into the sauce. Begin to add the cream and ...... yes, continue to stir. When the rest of the cream has been added, lower heat to low or simmer. Add the capers and green onions and blend well. Add the pepper and the crab and carefully stir so that crab doesn't break apart too badly. You want to have some nice chunks. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes before you plate it. You may grate some additional cheese once plated, maybe even a pinch of parsley for garnis. A nice finishing touch to this meal is a nice tossed salad of mixed greens. I had this for lunch and guess what? I"m going to have it for dinner too. This is crazy tasty! And did you notice you didn't even have to add salt?? How cool is that?

AT LAST THE PAELLA HAS ARRIVED !!

 Well, it has been a long time coming, but I finally am able to post the long awaited Paella article. There is so much to say about Paella that it's impossible to know where to begin. I will start by saying the Paella pictured above, is the one I made in Arizona for Felicia Sorensen. The one below is one I made a year ago for Labor Day.

 Today, Paella is found on the menus of the higher priced restaurants and a serving can command a price tag of $18 to $30. What is ironic is that it was traditionally a peasant dish that consisted of various ingredients that were available in the area and could even include left over items. In Spain the variations of the dish were and still are influenced by where it's made. The regions where there is pork and chicken will feature those meats prominently. If there is an abundance of lamb or rabbit, those items will be included. They all have 3 things in common however, they all include rice, saffron, and some type of seafood or meat.

The original Paella is known as the Valencian Paella. Valencians hold their recipe dear to their heart and have insisted that only the ingredients called for in their recipe can be used for the authentic Valencian rice dish. Among these are chicken, rice, duck, snails, butter beans, artichoke, various other beans, and spices including of course saffron. It is in the region of Valencia that Paella was born during the 18th Century. Over time, the entire Iberian Penninsula adopted it as an uncrowned national dish; however, this dish most traditionally identifies Valencia.

Although there are Paellas that contain only meats or just seafood, the more well known throughout the world is that which is called a mixed Paella, which includes various meats and seafood. One can go crazy with the various ingredients and sometimes too many is too much for a good conclusion. Remember, each ingredient is competing with one another in the flavor category, so it's smart to limit your choices and allow the saffron aroma to be the King. Everything else will fall into place and you will enjoy what is considered by many as one of the great rice dishes of the world.

The Paella that I will make with you today is of the "mixed" variety. We will use pork and chicken in the meat category and shrimp, scallops, fresh clams, and mussels in the seafood category. To tie it all together, we will use the Spanish saussage called Chorizo. Two things you cannot substitute are Chorizo and Saffron, no exceptions! Do not use Italian saussage or it will not be Paella. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. The only problem that I tend to run up against when making this wonderful dish, is that I tend to call for larger quantities of the ingredients that can fit in my pan. So please keep this in mind when making yours. I will try to give you approximate quantities for a party of 6 people which is a good average. You can adjust things accordingly to your number of guests.

Before we start, I want to talk about rice for a minute. Rice and getting it right is extremely important. If you screw up the rice, you will most likely screw up your Paella. Certain things you want to know are stay away from quick cook rice (the 5 minute Uncle Bens stuff), stay away from long grain rice which will absorb the moisture too quickly and thereby become soggy, and finally, don't let your rice get soggy ! With all that in mind, you want to look for a short and hearty grain rice. Those are the best to use when making Paella. Among the best choices is Bomba rice. It can be found in most supermarkets or specialty food stores. Whole Foods has a great selection of grains and I am sure they probably have several rice varieties that work well with Paella. But please, don't try to short cut through this one, it just isn't worth it and since you really want to make this a hit in your family the first time around, get the right rice.

I am going to assume that you have purchased a Paella pan as I discussed last week. I gave each of you plently of time to shop for them. If you ordered them online, they should be arriving by week's end. Otherwise, there were some available I believe at Target or Walmart in the $30 range for a decent 14 inch one. There's something else that I want to talk about at this time. This dish may appear very difficult to make, but I assure you that it's not the difficulty, but the time consumption and the attention to detail that is necessary. There are no special measurements or wierd baking instructions and no need for foreign dictionaries. In that respect, this is a very simple dish to make. But I"m not kidding when I say if you want to serve this by 6 PM, shop for your fresh ingredients early in the morning around 9 AM, do your prep work by 1 PM, and start cooking by 3 PM. I may be stretching this a bit, but I just want to convey to you that it's not a one hour meal. So fall in love with everything about it, the ingredients, the smells and aromas, and put on some Spanish music. Here is our shopping list for this version of Paella:

MEATS

5 Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut in quarters

1 lb of pork, cut in 1 inch pieces (does not have to be an expensive cut)

3 links of Chorizo saussage, cut in 1/2 inch slices (ask your butcher)

SEAFOOD

24 fresh clams in their shells

18 fresh mussels in their shells

1/2 lb of sea scallops, cut in half

1/2 lb of unshelled medium sized shrimp

Optional - 6 crab legs or claws or 6 to 8 jumbo prawns unshelled and heads on

VEGETABLES

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 medium red tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 medium yellow onions, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup of pitted green olives (ok they're fruit) cut in halves

1/2 cup of pitted black olives cut in halves

1 cup of thawed frozen baby peas (or green beans, cut and parboiled)

1 cup of garbanzo beans (this is unique to my recipe and have found that it works)

1/4 cup of chopped parsley

OTHER INGREDIENTS

3 cups of rice (either Bomba or Calasparra)

6 cups of chicken broth

1/2 cup of dry white wine

1/4 cup of olive oil

3 tablespoons of anise liquor (Pernod, Ricard, or Uozo)

1/4 teaspoon of Spanish smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of saffron threads

3 tablespoons of pimientos

6 to 8 lemon wedges (for garnish)

Before you start cooking, make sure that all your prep work is done. This includes chopping, slicing, and the following. Shell the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Put the shells in a medium size pot and add the chicken broth. Bring broth to a boil, lower heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the shells and discard. Add the saffron and paprika to the broth, cover pot, and keep on warm heat, but do not boil or simmer, just keep it warm. Preheat your oven to 325.

Pour the olive oil in your paella pan and heat oil on high. Saute your chicken and pork until golden brown. Remove from heat and set on a platter. Cover to keep warm. Now saute your chorizo on medium high for about 5  minutes. Add your onions, peppers, and garlic, and saute until onions get translucent. Now add your shrimp and saute for about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp and put them in the platter with the chicken and pork. Stir the onions and peppers and add the anise liquor, then the white wine to deglaze. Now add the rice and stir well so rice is nicely coated. Next, add the chicken broth to the rice and stir well. Add the parsley, garbanzo beans, peas, olives, tomato, and pimientos and stir well. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered for 10 minutes over medium high heat. Stir on occasion so rice doesn't stick to bottom of pan.

Now add the chicken and pork back to the pan, bury the scallops and shrimp in the rice, place the mussels and clams into the rice face up,  and place in the oven uncovered. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes, checking after about 15 minutes to make sure rice is nearly done. You want it to be al dente at that point, not crunchy.  If you feel you need a little moisture, you may add 1/4 cup of stock, but it's doubtful you will need to. After 20 minutes, remove from oven and let set on stove top loosely covered with foil for about 15 minutes.

You have just made your first Paella! This recipe should serve about 6 of you with some left over for seconds. Garnish the edges of the pan with the lemon wedges and a bit more parsley sprinkled over the top. This dish is well accompanied with a nice pitcher of chilled red Sangria. To prepare the Sangria, add 3 parts red wine, 1 part 7 UP, 1 part orange juice, 2 oranges cut in eighths, 2 lemons cut in eighths. Stir, refridgerate for about an hour. Finish dinner with some sliced pineapple and a shot of 43 served in a brandy snifter. Enjoy your fabulous dinner !!

Rice And Beans a la Foo Foo?

 The good ole rice and bean dish is about to go to the head of the fancy class and find its right place amongst your white linen, fine silverware, and crystal wine goblet. Yes, what you see is plain and simple, delicious, guest impressive, and nutritious rice 'n beans.

Did you know that most of us eat with our eyes before our stomachs? It's true, we tend to judge how good and appetising something is by how it looks on our plates before our taste buds tell us otherwise. If something looks good on your plate, you will enjoy it much more than if it's slapped together like you remember of your school cafeteria lunch line. Furthermore, we tend to savor the dish considerably, thereby eating it slower, resulting in a smaller portion satisfying us. End result is fewer calories and fewer inches. That is one of the secrets of the French and why they tend to stay trim, although a nice bottle of red doesn't hurt either.

At first sight, you were probably thinking oh my gosh that looks complicated to make. Nothing could be further from the truth. Remember, this blog will stress simplicity in the kitchen. Presentation is 75% of the battle and preparation is the other 25%. So are you ready? Let's get our ingredients together first. Remember in my previous post I discussed how to make molds? If you haven't read it yet, go back and do so now. Here's what we need:

1 home made (or store bought) metal mold - tuna can works great for this
1 cup of French lentils (they're more round and stay firmer than flat traditional ones)
1 cup of long grain wild rice
2 cans of chicken stock and 1 cup of water
1 med red onion, chopped
1 med yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (that means chopping them into tiny tiny pieces)
2 med carrots sliced lengthwise and then chopped
4 med white or dark mushrooms, cut in halves and then sliced
1 med ripe tomato, chopped, seeds and all
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Dijon style mustard
1 tbsp tomato paste (I buy a tube and store it in the fridge and use it when I need a little)
1 med zucchini sliced lengthwise with a peeler (so it makes very thin slices)
1/4 cup of olive
salt
pepper

Here's a little secret that makes cooking in the kitchen easy and a lot less stressful. Do your preparation work before you even turn the stove on. So now take and do all your slicing, chopping, mincing, and measuring, and get that all out of the way.

Assuming that you're finished preparing everything, now get a medium size pot and over medium high heat, pour the olive oil in. Allow the oil to heat up a bit and then add your onions and your garlic, let cook for a few minutes till the onions start getting translucent. Now add your carrots and stir. Cook for a few more minutes. Next, add your mushrooms and tomato, stir. Lower your heat to medium now.

Now you are going to add your rice and lentils; however, first I want to talk about what to look for. As I mentioned earlier, be sure to purchase French lentils. They are more round, darker, and stay firmer during cooking. I believe they are also richer tasting. As far as the rice is concerned, be sure to use long grain wild rice with the husk still attached. You'll get a better taste and more nutrition that way. The husk will provide you with a ton of fiber, but don't worry.

Now go ahead and add your rice and stir well. Before you add your lentils, make sure that you have rinsed them with cold water. Add your lentils and stir. Once the ingredients have been well incorporated, add your 2 cans of chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and tomato paste. Again, stir until well mixed. Over medium heat still, bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover your pot and lower the heat to low. Let cook about 30 minutes and check, stir. Keep a close watch on the level of liquid. Cover, cook for another 15 minutes and check. If it looks like you need a bit more liquid, pour some of the water you have set aside. Cook covered another 15 minutes and then add your parsley. Add salt and pepper and taste for correct seasoning level. Check for doneness. The lentils and rice should be al dente now. You may cover and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes and by then most of the liquid should have been absorbed. Remove from heat and keep lid on. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow a bit of cooling and setting.

Now you are ready to put your dish together. Get a dinner plate and center your mold. Using a spoon with holes in it, begin to fill the mold to the top. Pat it down so as to squeeze remaining liquid out through the bottom of the mold. Fill the mold a little more and repeat. Your mold should now be well packed. Holding the mold in place, pick up the plate and swirl it around until the liquid has covered the bottom of the dish. Once satisfied, go ahead and slowly lift the mold. Now take your zucchini slices and cover the sides until it goes all the way around. You have made your first serving. It should take only about 2 minutes or less for each plate. Add a sprig of parsley on top for garni.

This should serve 6 people. Serve with some nice crusty bread and a glass of burgundy. This dish can be served as an appetiser or an entree. If an entree, serve with a couple of skewers of broiled lamb or chicken on the side. This dish will cost you a whole $1.13 per serving! Enjoy. (photos by Dominique Roche)