Pasta con Camerones a la Diabla

 This is a really good recipe that I created today from several ingredients and sauce making techniques that I learned in Italy and Culinary School.

Ingredients:
1 lb Pasta (Semolina Durham Wheat Pasta)
1 lb Camerones (Shrimp)
4-6 cloves of garlic
4-6 juicy tomatoes
pinch of saffron
crushed red chili pepper
basil
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
rum or brandy (1-2 oz.)

Dirctions:
Make simple tomato sauce (same as recipe from the Mediterranean Lamb).  Start with 4-6 tomatoes, strike an x on the bottom of each, boil, drain, set aside.  In a large saute or frying pan heat up some oil with 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic and pinch of crushed red chili pepper.  Remove skins from tomatoes, cut into small cubes and place in the hot oil careful not to splash hot oil on you.  add some salt and pepper to taste, add some chopped fresh basil.  Cook the tomatoes down until semi thick and still chunky, keep warm and on low heat until ready for use.

Clean, devein and deshell the shrimp (keep the shells for stock)  and set clean shrimp on ice or in the fridge.  Making the stock: In a small pot boil 2-3 cups of water, add pinch of saffron and shells from shrimp.  Let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes and strain the shells, poach shrimp in the hot stock for 1-2 or max 3 minutes, (depends on size of shrimp and be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will be rubbery).  Remove the shrimp and set aside.  Keep the stock hot on the stove add a shot of rum or brandy and let it cook down.  In a small sautee pan heat some olive oil, 2-3 cloves of garlic crushed and crushed red chili pepper.  Heat until you smell the garlic and the remove from heat and set aside. 

In a large pot bring water to a boil for the pasta, once boiling add salt to the water, boil the pasta until al dente or cooked to your desired tenderness.  Drain the pasta and then in the same pot place the shrimp and heated olive oil with garlic and crushed red peppers, pour the hot stock over the shrimp and oil and add the pasta back to the pot and mix.  Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta mix and serve while still hot.  Garnish with Parmesean Cheese and very thinly sliced basil leaves.

Buon Appetito and enjoy.

Recipe of the Week, Monday, September 21, 2009

Mediterranean Lamb CousCous  

Ingredients:

2# Lamb Cubed
1C Flour
Optional Onion Powder and Cayenne Pepper
2C Stock or Water
Garlic
Capers
Olives
Roasted Peppers
Red Wine
Olive Oil
2 C CousCous
4-6 Fresh Tomatoes
garlic
dry red chili pepper
Basil

This is a three part recipe, Lamb, Tomato Sauce and CousCous each prepared separately and then combined on each plate. 

Directions:

First cube the lamb into approximately 2" Cubes.  Dredge the lamb cubes is the flour which has been lightly salted and peppered (you can also add some onion powder and cayenne for additional flavor).
Once the lamb is all coated lightly with the flour, in a large heated skillet frying pan add some olive oil and garlic.  When the oil is hot and before smoke point (oil smokes), you will smell the garlic,  place the lamb in the skillet and sear (brown) on all sides.  Once all sides are nicely browned deglaze (add) the wine to the hot pan, (careful of flame or flare up), and reduce to demi sec (1/2 way reduced).  In a separate pot with the stock or water heated to a boil (stock has more flavor and you can use chicken or veal stock), add the lamb to the stock and reduce to a simmer.  Add the capers, olives and roasted peppers.  Lightly salt and pepper to taste let simmer covered for 1 hour or more if you can afford the additional time.  The meat will continue to tender the more time that you simmer it.  Be careful not to simmer too long as you will loose the shape and consistency of the cubed lamb.

Second mark the tomatoes with an X at the bottom of the tomato and place in boiling water, bring back to a boil, drain and cool the tomatoes.  Once cooled so you can handle them the skin can easily be removed from the tomatoes.  Dice the tomatoes and set aside.  If you have a food mill run the tomatoes and skins through the mill to remove the seeds and produce and very nice skinless/seedless pulp.  In a hot skillet add some olive oil, garlic, small piece of dry red chili, the tomatoes and heat to a boil, continue to simmer adding some salt and pepper to taste.  Finely chop or chiffonade basil setting aside four to six small leaves for plate garnish.  Add the basil to the simmering tomatoes.  Simmer and cook down the tomatoes for about 30 minutes.  Optional, blend the tomatoes or leave as cubes depending on your choice of a smooth or chunky tomato sauce (For smooth, once the tomatoes have simmered for about 20 to 30 minutes you can blend in a food processor or use a hand held blender to make a more smooth sauce.

Third while the tomatoes are simmering in a clean bowl add two cups of instant cous cous.    In a small sauce pot heat 3 cups of water or two cups of water and 1 cup of stock to a rapid boil, lightly salt for flavor and remove from heat.  Pour the hot water over the couscous, let stand covered for 10-15 minutes  until all the liquid has all been absorbed.  Once the liquid has been absorbed fluff the couscous with a fork.

Plating:

Place a generous scoop of couscous on each plate, make a well in the center of each plate with the couscous forming a circular wall around the edge.  In the middle of the well place a generous portion of lamb, roasted pepper, capers, olives and some of the natural juices created from the simmering pot.  Over the top of the lamb place a generous portion of your tomato sauce.  Garnish the top with a piece of fresh basil and serve. 

Buon Appetito

Chef James Vincent Recipes -Recetas del Chef

. . . . . . . . Celebrating The Mexican Independence.

This month you will find easy, fast and delicious Mexican recipes that you can make at home and enjoy with your family. During this month I am celebrating with some of the Celebrities such as: Karime Lozano, Guy Ecker, Kate del Castillo (Mexican Actors from the famous Soup Opera "Vidas Cruzadas") at Conga Room in Los Angeles, California celebrating "El Grito de la Independencia de Mexico." Karime Lozano was the host of this Event.

The "Webnovela" is entitled Vidas Cruzadas (Crossed Lives) and will star well-known Hispanic actors Kate del Castillo and Guy Ecker. Carlos Sotomayor is the producer. -- Steve McClellan-

Carnitas Mexicanas
  Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. Pork Shoulder or Butt
• Fresh Rosemary
• Fresh Thyme
• 1 whole onion
• Garlic
  
• Salt
• Pepper
• Red and/or White Wine
  

  Directions:

Carve the pork into two or more pieces for easy handling, rinse well under cold water and pat dry with a clean paper towel.  Remember to wash your hands frequently and keep your work station clean when working with fresh meat.  Rain the salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme over the meat and set aside.  In a very hot skillet pan, lightly oiled, sear the outside of the meat on all sides so that is has a nice caramelized color and place in a cast iron dutch oven (cast iron pot, with lid, for cooking).  When all of the meat is seared and in the cast iron dutch oven, deglaze the skillet with some white and or red wine.   I like to use a combination of red and white for more flavor.  Add the liquid from the pan to the meat, cover with some more wine so that the meat is at least 3/4's submerged.  Cover with thin slices of onion, chopped garlic and close the lid.  Place the dutch oven in the oven at a low temperature for 24 hours at 170 degrees F.  The meat should cook at a low temperature, (do not exceed 180 degrees F), to keep the flavor in the meat and to produce a very tender product.
Buon Appetito.