Big John’s Baccala (stockfish) Adriatico
May 10, 2008
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
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1 1/2 pounds salt cod — (stockfish/baccala)
8 pounds potato
1/2 liter olive oil
4 heads garlic
4 ounces onions — chopped
4 ounces celery — chopped
Soak fish in water; change water daily for 6 days.
Boil fish for 1/2 hour (outside if possible to prevent fish odor in your house).
Boil potatoes until done. Peel and cube potatoes
Clean, skin and debone fish.
Mix stockfish with potatoes, add onions and celery.
Blend garlic and olive oil in blender; add to potatoes and stockfish.
Big John’s Meat Sauce For Spaghetti
May 10, 2008
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 1/2 pounds pork spareribs
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion — diced
1/2 each green pepper — diced
2 stalks celery — diced
28 ounces whole tomatoes — (1 can whole peeled tomatoes with juice)
28 ounces tomato puree — (1 can tomato puree)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 glass red wine
2 tablespoons italian parsley — chopped
2 tablespoons basil — chopped
salt — to taste
pepper — to taste
In a large, heavy pot, heat olive oil. Add meat and brown.
Add celery, green pepper and onion. Cook until tender. Add wine.
Pree whole tomatoes, garlic and parsley in a blender, add to pot.
Simmer 2 hours over medium heat.
Add tomato puree, reduce heat and simmer another hour.
Add basil 15 minutes before serving. Salt and pepper to taste.
Remove meat to a separate serving bowl.
Red Beans and Rice - Vegan Style
May 3, 2008
Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
——– ———— ——————————–
1 pound red kidney beans — dry
1 large onion — chopped
1 each bell pepper — chopped
5 each rib celery — chopped
garlic — minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme — or more if needed
1 each bay leaf — or more if needed
tabasco sauce — to taste
Creole seasoning (See separate recipe) — to taste (start with a tablespoon)
salt — to taste
liquid Barbecue SmokeĀ® — to taste (start with a teaspoon)
Soak the beans overnight, if possible. The next day, drain and put fresh water in the pot. Bring the beans to a rolling boil. Make sure the beans are always covered by water, or they will discolor and get hard. Boil the beans for about 45-60 minutes, until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain.
While the beans are boiling, saute the Trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans are boiled and drained, add the sauteed vegetables to the beans, then add seasonings, and just enough water to cover. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil along with the seasonings. Add liquid smoke, to taste - start with about a teaspoon.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for 2 hours at least, preferably 3, until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Adjust seasonings as you go along. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn’t burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot. (If the beans are old — say, older than six months to a year — they won’t get creamy. Make sure the beans are reasonably fresh. If it’s still not getting creamy, take 1 or 2 cups of beans out and mash them, then return them to the pot and stir.
If you can… let the beans cool, stick them in the fridge, and reheat and serve for dinner the next day. They’ll taste a LOT better. When you do this, you’ll need to add a little water to get them to the right consistency.
Serve generous ladles-ful over hot white long-grain rice, pickled onions and good French bread. There are some great vegan sausages out there that you can serve as well - grilled, preferably, but you could fry or broil them as well.
Adapted by Daniel from a recipe by Chuck Tagart in the Gumbo Pages (www.gumbopages.com)
Spinach and Feta Tart
May 2, 2008
From Kelly, a wonderful PFI employee:
This recipe is open to variation and flexibility in ingredients.
1 med onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs frozen spinach, (you could use fresh, but frozen is easier)
1/2 t. salt
1 t. oregano
1 t. basil
1 T. bread crumbs
1 c. feta
3/4 c. ricotta or cottage cheese, whole or low fat
black pepper
2 eggs (can use just the whites)
5 to 7 phyllo sheets
5 T. olive oil or melted butter
1/2 c. (more or less) grated romano or parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 - 400 (heat of oven will determine baking time)
Finely chop onion and mince garlic, cook in 1 T. olive oil in large skillet over moderately low heat until softened. Squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible and add to onion with salt, oregano and basil. Cook mixture over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until liquid is evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
In a bowl, whisk eggs until combined. Add eggs, bread crumbs, feta, ricotta and pepper to spinach and combine well. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Bring filling to room temperature.
Unwrap phyllo and lay on a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper, and then cover the stack completely with a dampened kitchen towel. Melt butter if using, and brush cookie sheet or tart pan with butter or olive oil.
On a work surface (or directly on the pan) lay first sheet of phyllo and brush with olive oil or butter and then sprinkle with romano/parmesan cheese. Lay next sheet on top of first and repeat procedure of brushing with oil and then sprinkling with cheese. Continue layering with the rest of sheets. Transfer to pan (if you were working on a different surface).
Spoon filling onto center of phyllo spreading out evenly, leaving 3-4 inches on each side. Roll up sides of phyllo towards the center and tuck to form rolled edge barrier. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until phyllo is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.