Recipe #99 - Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo

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Sprinkle the chicken evenly with 2 tablespoons of the Poultry Magic (or 1 tablespoon plus 1 tablespoon of Meat Magic) and rub it in well. Let stand at room temperature while you dice the vegetables.

Note: Adjust the seasoning if desired with additional Poultry Magic or Meat Magic.

But, be warned, this is what happens when you shake the chicken in the baggie without sealing it all of the way. Yea, it was a mess!

Combine the onions, bell peppers and celery in a bowl and set aside.

Combine the remaining Poultry Magic (or Meat Magic) with the flour in a paper or plastic pag. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and shake until the chicken is well coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of the seasoned flour.

Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large, heavy skillet over high  until very hot (375-400 degrees F), about 6 to 7 minutes. Fry the chicken until the crust is brown on both sides and the meat is cooked, about 5 to 8 minutes per side. You may have to fry the chicken in batches. Drain on paper towels. Carefully pour the hot oil into a heatproof glass measuring cup, leaving some of the brown bits in the pan, then return 1/2 cup of hot oil to the pan.

Return the pan to high heat and gradually whisk in the reserved 1/2 cup seasoned flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until the roux is dark red-brown, about 3 1/2-4 minutes, begin careful not to let it scorch or splash on you skin. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the vegetables, stirring constantly and scraping the pan bottom well until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in a 5 1/2-quart saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the vegetables mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring between each addition until the roux is dissolved. Return to a boil, stirring and scraping the pan bottom often. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the Andouille and garlic, and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring often toward the end of the cooking time.

While the gumbo has cooked for 45 minutes, stir in the chicken.

Serve immediately. To serve as a main course, mound 1/3 cup cooked rice in the center of a low soup bowl, and ladle about 1 1/4 cups gumbo around the rice. For an appetizer, place 2 heaping tablespoons cooked rice in a cup and ladle about 3/4 cup gumbo on top.

This seriously was the best roux I've ever made. It was perfect! If I changed one thing, it would be to cut the chicken up into smaller pieces. Other than that - like I said - perfect!

Rating: 10 (easy)
Time: 2 hours (easy)
Serves: 6 main dish servings or 10 appetizer servings
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken (breast or thighs or both)
2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic or 2 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic (see note)
1 cup onions, finely diced
1 cup green bell peppers, finely diced
3/4 cup celery, finely diced
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying
7 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound Andouille smoked sausage, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
2 cups hot cooked white rice

Recipe #83 - Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice

My sister, Teresa, and I have the craziest obsession with Chipotle's burritos. We make a 40 minute drive to get burrito once a week. It may seem a little redic, until you taste their rice. So here is how you make it:

Sautee the rice in oil until almost translucent (as if you are making a risotto).

Add water, bring to a boil. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn the heat down low. 

Simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. 

Turn off heat. DON'T PEEK. LEAVE IT COVERED for 30 minutes (this is the "streaming" part... Chipotle steams rice every hour). This is what makes the rice fluffy. You won't be happy with yourself if you don't do this. Be patient. Good things come to those who wait. 

Remove lid, let some of the steam out. I just mixed every thing in the pot for the next step (some might think I mixing bowl would be easier).

Mix salt and lime juice together until salt is dissolved. I had to heat the juice in the microwave for 25 seconds to fully dissolve the salt. 

Pour the lime mixture over the rice a little at a time. Taste as you go. Mine turned out a little too limey. Then fluff with a fork. Sprinkle in cilantro, and toss well to evenly coat with cilantro and the lime mixture.

I served the rice with the Recipe #84 - Blackened Fish Tacos. 

Rating: 6

Time: 55 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil (canola/vegetable)

2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped fine

1 fresh lime 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 cup  long grain white rice

2 cups water

Recipe #61 - Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry

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Cook rice according to package directions. Cover to keep warm; set aside. 

Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce and cornstarch in a medium bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Mix in orange peel.

Heat oil in large wok or nonstick skillet over high heat. Add onion, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir-fry 30 seconds.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to wok and stir-fry until is crisp-tender and chicken is just cooked throughly, about 4 minutes. 

Add broccoli and juice mixture. Toss until sauce thickens and comes to boil and broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.

Rating: 8
Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice or long-grain white rice (10 to 11 ounces)
3/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon finely grated orange peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken cutlets, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 head of broccoli

Recipe #49 - Spicy Seattle Tuna Rolls

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Puree chiles, ginger, sesame seeds, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mini-processor until paste forms. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in both oils and vinegar. Season dressing with salt.

If you couldn't find tuna sashimi, you can just buy the yellowfin tuna. Add a little sesame oil in a skillet and sear all edges, about 20-30 seconds per side.

Gently add tuna to the first mixture, toss to coat.

Place nori sheets on a work surface with short side facing you. Spread about 2 rounded tablespoons rice evenly on bottom third of each sheet.

Divide tuna among rolls, spooning over rice. Top with fillings. Roll into cones or log shape, using a few grains of cooked rice to "glue" to seal.

Now my mother didn't like the nori sheets very much at all. She dosen't like the texture. So I put together a little tuna salad over rice. She loved it. And I did too. It made me want to rewrite this whole recipe around this tuna salad. A-mazing.

Rating: 7
Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
4 green Thai chiles (or serrano peppers if you can't find the latter), stemmed, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grated, peeled, fresh ginger
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1/4 cup sunflower or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 pound sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna fillets, cut into 1/8" cubes
4 toasted dried nori sheets, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 cups (about) cooked short-grain rice, cooled
Assorted fillings, such as sliced scallions, English hothouse or Persian cucumber, avocado, cilantro leaves, and/or chive blossoms.