The Chef From Hell

Poor Man's Demi Glace

2012-02-25T09:09:00.003-05:00

Hi Ho, Hi Ho...it's off to the kitchen we go!
Today, I'm making a batch of demi glace.

"Demi glace? What's that?"

Most chefs would describe it as...

"a highly concentrated reduced brown sauce"

This is a handy item to add to your cooking asenal

as it provides intense flavor base to any soup or sauce you prepare

My recipe is a little off of the beaten track

when compared to the exact science of culinary school demi glace

but it works for me, eh?

My recipe is a two day affair but it's well worth the time & effort!

~ DAY ONE ~

Note: it's best to start this recipe in the morning

Ingredients:

5 lb Beef Bones

1 large Spanich Onion, peeled & chopped coarse

2 large Carrots, peeled & chopped coarse

2 stalks celery, chopped coarse

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 cup Maderia Wine

Water

Tomato Paste, 6 oz can

~ Cooking Procedure ~

Preheat your oven to 450

Place the bones in a roasting pan

that is large enough to have your bones in a single layer

Place the roasting pan in the oven

Roast the bones for 1 to 1 1/2 hours

Spread your vegetables evenly around the roasting pan

Roast the bones & vegetables for another 45 minutes

Remove the bones & vegetables to a large stockpot

Place the roasting pan over two burners

Over medium heat, deglaze the roasting pan

by adding the worcestershire sauce, maderia wine & 1 cup of water

Stir & scrape the bottom of the roasting pan well

Simmer the roasting pan liquid for 5 minutes

Tranfer the roasting pan liquid to the stockpot

Top off the stock pot with more water

Bring the stockpot to a boil

Reduce heat to a medium simmer

Add the tomato paste

Let this simmer away for 12 hours

During this time...

always add more water to keep the bones in the pot covered

After 12 hours...

Strain the stockpot liquid into containers

Discard the bones & vegetables

Let the stockpot liquid sit at room temp until it cools down a bit

Seal the containers & place in fridge overnight

~ DAY 2 ~

Strain the stockpot liquid into a medium sized pot

Bring this to a high simmer, then reduce to medium heat

Let your demi glace simmer for another 6 hours...

until it takes on a gelatinous texture

Skim any foam or pools of fat on the top of the liquid

Store in containers

If not using your demi glace with a few days, place it in the freezer

where it will keep for up to 6 months

Another Handy Demi Glace tip:

Pour your demi glace into ice cube trays & place in freezer

Then...whenever you need to add flavor to a soup or sauce...

simply pop out a couple of cubes!

Happy Fat Tuesday 2012!

2012-02-21T07:12:00.001-05:00

To many folks, Mardi Gras is viewed as a period of self-indulgence but in my little world Mardi Gras exists on a level reserved for the most sacrosanct holidays, such as Halloween, Christmas and Groundhog Day. My history of celebrating Mardi Gras goes way back to1961 when my Dad, who was an Army doctor, got stationed in New Orleans and the family found itself living in Metarie, Louisiana of all places.

In each person's life there are moments of clarity; during which a person stops time and says, "Yes, this is the real deal!" My first moment of dead certain clarity ocurred during my first Mardi Gras down in New Orleans. I remember seeing a fella strolling down the street in a suit made out of Budweiser cans and thinking, "Y'know, I think I could do pull off a look like that myself..." As an eight year old kid, the shambolic celebration of life that I encountered close up when my Dad took me down to the French Quarter to see my very first Mardi Gras parade was indeed a transcendental experience. I took it all in and oddly enough, found myself promoting the very essence of Mardi Gras many years later in Long Island through the various restaurants I owned. It's funny how the strands of life eventually connect all the dots, eh?

The celebration of life
takes on a deeper resonance as one gets older, eh?

Happy Fat Tuesday to one & all!

Gumbo Ya Ya

2012-02-18T07:15:00.000-05:00

Our celebration of Mardi Gras Week continues!

One of the best dishes to prepare for a Mardi Gras party is...

a traditional New Orleans gumbo!

First, you'll need to make a cajun roux which is used to add a smokey flavor and thicken your gumbo.

For my roux recipe, go HERE

You'll want a nice dark brown color to the roux. It should look something like this:

As the roux cools down a bit, let's get started on that there gumbo, eh?

Ingredients:

1/4 lb unsalted Butter

1 large Spanish Onion, chopped coarse

2 stalks Celery, chopped medium coarse

1 large Green Bell Pepper, chopped coarse

2 TBS Gumbo File Powder

2 TBS Maderia Wine

2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce

2 lb Smoked Sausage (preferably Andouille), cut into 1/4 inch discs

1/2 Smoked Ham, chopped medium coarse

1/4 cup Frank's Hot Sauce

Note: Frank's is a cayenne sauce that's readily available in most supermarkets. As opposed to Tabasco Sauce, Frank's has a subtle sweetness about it that works great in a gumbo.

3 quarts Chicken Stock or Broth

Note: For my stock recipe, go HERE

1 lb fresh large Shrimp, chopped coarse

1/4 lb fresh lump Crabmeat

1 Catfish fillet (8 oz), cubed

1 1/2 cups Cajun Roux

Dry Spice Mix:

1 TBS Basil

2 tsp Kosher Salt

1 1/2 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Dry Mustard

1/2 tsp ground Black Pepper

1/4 tsp ground White Pepper

1 tsp Cayenne Red Pepper

Cooking Procedure:

Pick through the crabmeat & discard any bits of shell you may find

Set this aside

Combine all of the ingredients for the dry spice mix in a bowl

Mix well & set aside

Melt the butter in a large pot over high heat

Add the "cajun trinity" -- onions, celery, green bell pepper -- & the dry spice mix

Note: "Cajun trinity?! What's the..." New Orleans has always been a town steeped in not only voodoo, but catholicism as well. Thus, the often used trio of vegetables in gumbos and jambalayas (onions, green peppers & celery) were often referred to as "the holy trinity" (a nod to "the father, the son & the holy ghost")

Stir well & cook the vegetables down until the onions begin to turn clear, about 5 minutes

Add the wine & worcestershire sauce

Stir well & let this cook down for 2 minutes

Reduce your heat to medium

Add the gumbo file powder

Stir well

Cook for 2 minutes while stirring & scraping the bottom of the pot

Note: the gumbo file powder will cause the mixture in the pot to take on a slightly stringy appearance as it cooks; this is normal so do not panic!

Add the sausage & ham

Stir well & let this cook down for 5 minutes

Add the Frank's hot sauce

Stir well & let this come up to a high simmer

Add the Chicken Stock

Stir well & turn the heat up to high

When the liquid in the pot comes to a boil, start adding tablespoons of the cajun roux

Stir the gumbo well after each addition of roux

Once the roux has been incorporated into the gumbo, reduce heat to low

Add the catfish & crabmeat

Stir well & let your gumbo simmer for 1 hour

Make sure to stir & scrape the bottom of the pot from time to time

After 1 hour, add the shrimp

Stir well & let this simmer for 10 to 15 minutes; until the shrimp are cooked

To serve: Place mounds of rice in large bowls and ladle the gumbo over the rice

For my baked rice recipe, go HERE

Have a couple of serving of gumbo, sit back with your feet up & say to yourself: "Ahhhhhh...."

What's in Fast Food Chicken? Hint: It's NOT Chicken!

2012-02-16T13:09:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to an article from the organicauthority.com site that everyone should read:

http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/what-is-in-fast-food-chicken-hint-its-not-chicken.html

Crawfish Etouffee

2012-02-15T06:12:00.000-05:00

Ah, crawfish etouffee is one of the great loves of my life. Each year, during the Mardi Gras Season, I usually cook up a batch or two of this wonderful cajun dish that features crawfish tails tossed in a hearty brown gravy. Normally, the tried and true method of executing this dish involves creating the sauce from scratch in the pan. However, the recipe I'm posting today is a bit more "user friendly" in which you can make the sauce ahead of time. I've done this in case any of you are throwing a Mardi Gras Party and would like to prepare this dish as part of a menu featuring cajun dishes.

First, make the Etouffee Sauce

Ingredients:

2 TBS Peanut Oil

1 TBS Celery, chopped medium coarse

1 TBS Spanish Onion, chopped medium coarse

1 TBS Green Bell Pepper, chopped medium coarse

4 cups Shrimp Stock

Note: for my stock recipe, go HERE

1 cup canned Crushed Tomatoes

1 TBS canned Diced Green Chiles

2 TBS Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Scallions, chopped coarse

1 tsp Gravy Master

1 tsp Cajun Roux

Note: for my cajun roux recipe, go HERE

1/4 lb unsalted Butter

1/4 cup sifted White Flour

Dry Spice Mix:

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp Basil

1/4 tsp Thyme

1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 pinch Cayenne Pepper

Cooking Procedure:

In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat for 2 minutes

Add the celery, onion & green bell pepper

Cook until the onions turn clear

Add the dry spice mix

Stir well

Let this cook down for 1 minute

Add 2 TBS of the shrimp stock, the crushed tomatoes, green chiles, worcestershire sauce & scallions

Stir well & cook this for 3 minutes

Add the remaining shrimp stock, gravy master & the cajun roux

Stir well & let this cook down for4 minutes

Reduce heat to low

In a sautee pan, melt the butter over medium high heat

When the butter is melted, gradually whisk in the flour to make a white roux

Stir this roux for several minutes to cook the harsh taste of the flour out of it

Let the roux rest for 3 minutes

Add the roux to the etouffee sauce gradually by teaspoonfuls, stirring well after each addition

Stir the etouffee sauce for several minutes to incorporate the white roux

Let the etouffee sauce simmer gently over low heat until it thickens, about 20 - 30 minutes

This will make 4 cups Etouffee Sauce

Keep the sauce warm over low heat

Now that you've made the Etouffee Sauce, let's make some Crawfish Etouffee

Ingredients:

2 TBS unsalted Butter

1 cup Celery & Spanish Onion (mixed), chopped coarse

1/4 cup chopped Green Bell Pepper

2 lb Crawfish Tails, rinsed lightly with cold water & drained

2 canned Whole Peeled Tomatoes, diced

1 TBS Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

4 cups warm Etouffee Sauce

Shrimp Stock (if needed)

Cooked White Rice

Note: for my rice recipe, go HERE

Dry Spice Mix:

1/4 tsp Basil

1/4 tsp Thyme

1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper

Cooking Procedure:

In a medium sized pot, melt the butter over high heat

Add the onions, celery & green bell pepper

Cook this down until the vegetables begin to wilt & the onions turn clear

Add the dry spice mix

Stir well & cook for 3 minutes

Add the crawfish tails, tomatoes & worcestershire sauce

Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot

Reduce heat to medium

Cook this down for 7 minutes

Add the warm Etouffee Sauce

Stir well & reduce heat to low

Note: if the mixture in the pot seems too thick...

drizzle in a little Shrimp Stock to thin it out a touch

Let the crawfish etouffee simmer for 15 - 20 minutes

To serve:

Spoon the crawfish etouffee over mounds of rice

How To Throw Your Own Mardi Gras Party

2012-02-10T05:27:00.003-05:00

Well, me buckos, next week is the MARDI GRAS! Are you ready for some o' that BIG FUN? If you've decided at the last minute to throw a Mardi Gras Party, here's a round-up of info which will help you plan your Mardi Gras Party!

Awright! Whether you've been invited to a Mardi Gras Party or are throwing a Mardi Gras Party the first thing you gotta consider is this: what to do for a costume? Here's some handy tips!

1. Things you buy do not necessarily need to be used for the purpose for which they were intended. Keep this in mind when rooting through your closet looking for costume accessories, eh?

2. Under no circumstances should you take yourself seriously! This is good advice for all aspects of life, eh?

3. Loud is good. Extremely loud is better. Unbelievably loud is best.

4. Sexy is good. Comical is also good. Make sure you know which of these catagories YOU fall into before getting dressed.

5. Have no pre-conceived ideas. Consider your costume a work-in-progress and let it dictate to you what it is to be.

6. Let yourself GO! You're going to be someone else anyway, so you might as well make it count, eh?

7. You will need to walk, eat, drink, dance, see, speak and possibly drive in your costume. Remember this when you are building your creation.

8. Just when you think you're done decorating your costume, you've truly just started!

9. Make a party out of it. Invite some friends over, have some cocktails, put on some Mardi Gras music, get out the feathers and glue guns and party on!

10. Have Fun!!

Where can you find what you need for your costume?

1. Your parent's or in-law's attics.

2. Thrift Stores-- these are great because they are so cheap. They do, however, require time to go through. When you're at the thrift store, remember these important shopping tips: A. If you can see an item from across the store, it's worth buying. B. Sequins & tassels that are purple, green or gold are items that are highly prized among seasoned Mardi Gras costume makers. C. Size does not matter. You can use it somehow. D. Never underestimate the power of a $2.00 vest. Buy one, head over to your local craft store, buy tons of material and then start painting and using the old glue gun. E. Men's clothes for women, women't clothes for men!

3. Party Stores (not for a store-bought costume, but for accessories, make-up & party decorations).

4. Discount Clothing Stores! There will be extremely garish, glitzy and downright frightening items that no one in their right mind should wear-- buy them! These items will be on sale at remarkable prices and YOU, my friend, will reap the rewards of such bad taste! Remember to ignore the look of disgust on the salesperon's face.

5. Close-Out Warehouses. Stores like Odd-Job-Lot-Trading-Liquidators are all over the place. Open your eyes, take a good look around and you just might find that 99 cent package of "50 Liquor Bottle" Magnets that will change your life (& your costume)!

6. Craft Stores. Here you can find glue guns, feathers, beading, appliques, plastic eyeballs, baubles, do-hickeys, sparkles, fabric paint, glitter and all types of adornments needed for decorating that thing you found in granma's attic.

7. On-Line Shopping. A good source for the required Mardi Gras Beads, baubles and dubloons.

What Sort of Music Will You Need for your party?

If you're into making your own mix cd's, here's a list of the best songs to have on hand:

■Go To The Mardi Gras - Professor Longhair

■They All Asked For You - The Meters

■Mardi Gras Mambo - The Hawketts

■Big Chief - Professor Longhair

■Carnival Time - Al Johnson

■Second Line - Stop Inc.

■New Suit - The Wild Magnolias

■Hey Pocky Way - The Meters

■Handa Wanda Pt. 1 - Bo Dollis & The Wild Magnolias

■If Ever I Cease To Love - A.J. Loria

■That's Enough Of That Stuff - Marcia Bal

■My Feet Can't Fail Me Now - Dirty Dozen Brass Band

■Iko Iko - The Dixie Cups

■Fire Water - The Wild Magnolias

■Meet The Boys On The Battlefront - The Wild Tchoupitoulas

■I'll Drink T'Dat - Kermit Ruffins

■Do Whatcha Wanna - Rebirth Brass Band

■I Wish I Was In New Orleans - Tom Waits

■Smoke That Peace Pipe - The Wild Magnolias

■Meet De Boys On De Battlefront - The Wild Tchoupitoulas

■Going Back To New Orleans - Dr. John

■My Indian Red - Dr. John

Here's a list of some "must-have" Mardi Gras compilation cd collections that will liven things up at your party:

■Mardi Gras In New Orleans Vol. 1 (Mardi Gras Records)

■Mardi Gras Party (Rounder Records)

■Super Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Records)

■Mardi Gras Essentials (Hip-O Records)

■Ultimate Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras Records)

■Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday Showdown (Rounder Records)

■New Orleans Party Classics (Rhino Records)

■Mardi Gras In New Orleans Vol. 2 (Mardi Gras Records)

May the blessings of Professor Longhair be with you always!

Planning Your Menu

Be sure to stop by the Chef From Hell site next week. I will be posting recipes which are perfect menu items for a wild Mardi Gras Party!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

Sweet Loretta's Mardi Gras King Kake

2012-01-31T15:33:00.001-05:00

One of the most unique culinary traditions of the Mardi Gras season is the making of King Cakes!

"Say, What the heck is a King Kake anyway?"

Ah pilgrim, I'm glad you asked...

King Kakes are traditionally served starting on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphan (or Twelfth Night as it is called in some quarters). This is the day that the Magi arrived in Bethlehem to present gifts to the Christ child. King Kakes are baked in honor of the Magi. They are oval in shape to depict the circular route that the wise men took to avoid King Herod, who wanted the Christ child killed. Placed inside of each King Kake is a small plastic baby which represents the Christ child. Legend has it that whoever is served the slice of cake containing the plastic baby is said to be the "King" and can look forward to a year of good luck! In Louisiana, the person who receives the baby is also host to the next King Kake party to be held the following year. In some cultures, a bean, pecan or other trinket is hidden inside of the cake. King Kakes are topped with decorative sugars in the Carnival Colors of Purple, Gold and Green, representing faith, justice and power.

Note: Since the preparation of this sweet concoction involves putting a tiny plastic baby or dried bean inside the cake, please check the slices of cake if you serve them to small children or drunk people, eh?

To learn more about King Cakes, read this in-depth History of King Cakes

Today's version of this Mardi Gras favorite has been created by our resident Dessert Chef here at the Chef From Hell Food Blog (& she's my better half too!)... the lovely Swet Loretta! Hoo Hah!

Ingredients:

1 TBS Cocoa Powder

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/3 cup White Sugar

Note: Mix well & set this cocoa/cinnamon mixture aside

3 cups White Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

Note: Sift all of these ingredients into a bowl & set this flour mixture aside

1 1/2 cups White Sugar

1 1/2 sticks unsalted Butter

2 tsp Vanilla extract

16 oz Sour Cream

3 large Eggs

1 plastic baby or dried bean

Cooking Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Grease & flour a 10 inch Tube Pan

In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the butter & sugar

Add the vanilla & blend well

Add the sour cream and eggs

Continue beating well

Gradually incorporate the flour mixture while beating

When well blended, spoon half ofthis cake batterinto the tube pan

Evenly sprinkle the cocoa/cinnamon mixture over the surface of the batter in the tube pan

Tuck the plastic baby or dried bean into the top of the cake batter

Spon the remaining batter evenly into the tube pan

Bake cake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

When cake is done, cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then turn cake onto a plate & continue cooling

To Make the Glaze:

Ingredients:

2 cupsPowdered Sugar, sifted

1 TBS unsalted Butter, softened

2 TBS Whole Milk

2 TBS Bailey's Irish Cream liquor

Purple, Gold (or yellow) & Green sprinkles, sugars or gel tube cake writers

Cooking Procedure:

Whisk together the butter & powdered sugar

Drizzle in the milk & Bailey's a little at a time...

until you achieve a consistency...

that's loose enough to have the glaze drip down the sides of the cake

When you've glazed the cake...

decorate the top of the cake with either...

the colored sprinkles, colored sugars or...

gels to decorate the cake in Mardi Gras colors

Sweet Loretta sez...

HAPPY MARDI GRAS Y'ALL!

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2012-01-29T21:30:00.000-05:00

Here's a bit of vegetable comfort food. "Vegetable comfort food?!" Yes, vegetable comfort food! These sprouts make a beautiful side dish for almost any meal but can also be enjoyed as a simple snack. "A snack?!" Yes, a snack! The world does not run on potato chips alone, my friends!

Ingredients:

2 lbs fresh Brussels Sprouts

3 TBS Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

Grated Romano Cheese

Cooking Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Place the brussels sprouts in a colander

Give the sprouts a light rinse with cold water

Let them drain for a few minutes

Cut off the root base stem from all of the sprouts

Discard any loose or yellowed leaves

Using your knife, make a small "X" on the bottom of the sprouts (where you had cut away the stem)

"Say, why did you cut an X on the bottom of the sprouts anyhow?"

This is done to allow the root to cook more evenly & quickly

so that both the root end & leaves are done at the same time

"Ahhhh, I thought that was the reason..."

Place the sprouts in a bowl

Drizzle the olive oil over the sprouts

Using your hands, toss well

Sprinkle the salt & pepper over the sprouts

Toss well once more

Place the sprouts on a sheet pan

Bake them in the oven for 40 minutes...
until they are lightly browned & soft

To allow the sprouts to cook evenly...
be sure to shake the sheet pan from time to time

When the sprouts are done, return them to the mixing bowl

Sprinkle a liberal amount of romano cheese over the sprouts

Using a spoon, toss the sprouts once more & serve immediately

A Brief History of Mardi Gras

2012-01-19T16:10:00.000-05:00

Howdy Folks!

Seeing as how the 2012 Mardi Gras season officially started on January 6th, I thought I'd get everybody in the carnival mood with this piece that I compiled with my better half, Sweet Loretta...A Brief History of Mardi Gras!!

Carnival, the riotous and bawdy festival celebrated across Europe and in the Southern region of the United States, has been in existence almost since the beginning of civilization itself.

Over five thousand years ago, Ovid, a poet of ancient Rome, wroteverse about a spring festival that was celebrated to ensure greener pastures and the forgiveness of sins. Greek priests would sacrifice a goat, cut its skin into whips and use them to lash the naked revelers as they danced.

This festival, known as the Lupercalia, evolved throughtout the centuries and spread from Greece to Rome and France, where the festivities became a bit more pleasant, yet still full of lewdness, debauchery and occasional violence. Many revelers, in order to conceal their true identities while behaving in an uncivilized manner, wore masks.

When Christianity took hold, around the the year 600, the Church was appalled at such displays of lewdness and impiety. However, the Church knew that it would be impossible to obliterate the annual celebration. Around this time, Pope Gregory made the dates of the Holy Days of Ash Wednesday and Easter fluctuate with the equinox. Realizing that since the season of Lent, a time when Christians fast and self denial is practiced, could coincide with this spring festival of madness, he renamed it the Carnivale which literally means "farewell to the flesh." This ensured that the festival ended on the day before the solemnity of the Lenten season.

The traditions of this festival of public debauchery and costuming were eventually embraced across Europe, and as European settlers journeyed to America, it was only a matter of time before Carnival became part of the American cultural heritage.

On March 3rd, 1699, when the French settlers, led by the explorers Iberville and Bienville, made camp on the banks of the Mississippi River, it was Mardi Gras Day. The group of settlers held a small celebration at their campsite by the river and aptly named it Mardi Gras Point. An observance was also held in Mobile, Alabama in 1703. The French settlers in Alabama carried on the traditions from their homeland as did those who settled in Louisiana. The city of New Orleans was founded in 1718 and private Carnival celebrations were staged.

By 1743, the first Carnival Balls were held throughout the season. When the Spanish gained control of Louisiana, they banned all festivities of the Carnival Season. In 1823, not long after The Louisiana Purchase had made Louisiana a possession of the United States, the celebration of theCarnival Season was reinstated.

In 1830, in Alabama, a one-eyed man named Michael Krafft and his friends were celebrating Carnival in a restaurant in downtown Mobile. It was the last day of the Carnival Season. Following their dinner party, the tipsy celebrants "borrowed" farming equipment and coal wagons from a nearby business, quickly devised some makeshift costumes and began parading through the streets. This was the first Mardi Gras Parade ever held on American soil.

By 1837, unofficial parades were held in the streets of various southern cities. By 1872, the Krewe of Rex held their first official parade. The parade was in honor of the visiting Grand Duke Alexis of Russia. It is here that the official colors of Carnival were instituted. The Krewe of Rex chose the royal colors of the Romanoff family of Russia as their backdrop. This choice of colors continues to be used to this day. The colors are purple which stands for justice, gold for power and green for faith. The Krewe of Rex was also the first Krewe to throw trinkets to the crowd during parades. This event also marked the premiere of the official Mardi Gras song, If Ever I Cease To Love.

During the 1800's and 1900's, many Carnival Krewes came into existence; along with walking clubs and Social Aid and Pleasure clubs. These clubs existed for the purpose of parading, having fun and helping their communities through various charity efforts. In their earliest days, Krewes were dignified and very serious about their procedures, parades and the themes behind their parades. Majestic and historical themes were commonplace as the Krewes treated their subject matter with elegance to their celebrations. One of the first of these types of Krewes was the Zulu Krewe. Throughout the years, however, the newer Krewes took more of a tongue-in-cheek approach to all things Carnival.

In the early 1900's, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure club made its mark on Carnival. Zulu was comprised entirely of working class black Americans. In their parade, they mocked the snobbishness of Krewes like Rex and Comus. In fact, their parade float was a comical caricature of the Krewe of Rex. Instead of masking in the royal colors of Rex, the members of Zulu wore blackface. The Zulu King wore a crown made out of an old can of lard as opposed to the bejeweled crown of King Rex. The Zulu Queens were all men dressed in drag and the royalty of Zulu sported names like the "Big Shot of Africa." Zulu was also the first Krewe to connect the marching band street jazz sounds of the black neighborhoods to the Carnival Season.

In 1991, the New Orleans city council proposed an ordinance that would desegregate all Krewes. The battle that ensuedraged over the course of the following year. Krewes such as Comus, Momus and Proteus declined to roll out their floats during Mardi Gras. Eventually, a compromise was worked out when legislation dictating that no Krewe could practice discrimination by gender was entered into law.

In the decade, there have been over sixty official Carnival Krewes parading in the greater New Orleans area; unofficial Krewes have numbered in the hundreds. Since the impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans and its surrounding areas in 2005, Mardi Gras has lost some of its intensity. However, the celebration of Carnival has continued each year since that fatal storm and one can safely assume that it always will.

"Joy of heart, good cheer and merriment are wine drunk freely

at the proper time."

The Bible, Sirach 31:27

Biscuit Kings Gumbo

2012-01-17T09:33:00.001-05:00

Hey Y'all! Today is my buddy Jeff's birthday --- he plays bass in our band, the Biscuit Kings and seeing as how we're getting together for a rehearsal tommorrow, I figured I'd make one of Jeffrey's favorite things, a batch of gumbo! This gumbo will also provide medicinal properties for myself as it's been quite awhile since I've been able to play my guitar due to a stress fracture in my shoulder...but I'm on the mend and I think a bowl (or three) of gumbo ought to limber up my right arm, eh?

Notes on making Gumbo: I fear I may offend some traditionalists with this gumbo recipe because I do not start the gumbo with a roux---in this instance I prefer to add it later. This will not restrict the flavor of the gumbo in any way. Over the years I've come to prefer this methodology and the many folks who ate my gumbo had no problem with it. Why I remember once that the Nevill Brothers band stopped by one of my joints after doing a show at the Jones Beach theatre and I'm proud to say that Art Neville, after having a bowl of my gumbo, remarked, "That gumbo is cold blooded." Amen to that, brother!

Also, one of the ingredients I use in gumbo preparation may be difficult for you to find locally---gumbo file powder (ground sassafras leaves)---but it won't be gumbo without this fragrant powder, so if you need to order this, you should be able to locate a source on ye olde InterWeb; I believe it my be available @ Penzy's Spice House. If you don't have time to make your own cajun roux, I recommend that you purchase a commercial roux; you'll find some available at many online sites.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb unsalted Butter

2 large Spanish Onion, chopped coarse

4 stalks Celery, chopped coarse

2 large Green Bell Pepper, chopped coarse

2 TBS Gumbo File Powder

3 quarts Homestyle Chicken Stock

For my stock recipe, go HERE

Note: if you can't make yer own stock, it's ok...use canned

1 lb fresh large Shrimp, chopped coarse

1 lb Andouille or Chorizo Sausage, chopped into bite-sized pieces

2 lb cooked boneless Chicken Thighs, chopped medium coarse

2 Catfish fillet (8 oz each), cubed

4 cups Cajun Roux

Note: To view my recipe for Cajun Roux, go HERE

1/2 cup Big Heat Spice Mix

Note: Big Heat Spice Mix is a spice mix of my own creation

which I used extensively in all of my restaurants over the years

For my Big Heat Spice Mix recipe, go HERE

Cooking Procedure:

Combine all of the ingredients for the Big Heat Dry spice mix in a bowl

Mix well & set aside

Melt the butter in a large pot over high heat

Add the cajun trinity (onions, celery, green bell pepper)

"Cajun trinity?! What's the..."

New Orleans has always been a town steeped in not only voodoo, but catholicism as well. Thus, the often used trio of vegetables in gumbos and jambalayas (onions, green peppers & celery) were often referred to as "the holy trinity" (a nod to "the father, the son & the holy ghost")

then add the following...

1/4 cup of the Big Heat Spice Mix

the sausage

Stir well & cook the vegetables & sausage down...

until the onions begin to turn clear, about 5 minutes

Stir well

Add the gumbo file powder

Note: the gumbo file powder (aka ground sassafrass leaves) will cause the mixture in the pot to take on a slightly stringy appearance as it cooks; this is normal so do not panic!

Add 1 cup of the chicken stock

Stir well, reduce heat to medium & let this simmer for another 5 minutes

Add the rest of the chicken stock

Stir well & turn the heat up to high

When the liquid in the pot comes to a boil, start adding tablespoons of the cajun roux

Stir the gumbo well after each addition of roux

Once the roux has been incorporated into the gumbo, reduce heat to low

Add the catfish & cooked chicken thighs

Stir well & let your gumbo simmer for 1 hour

Make sure to stir & scrape the bottom of the pot from time to time

After 1 hour

Add the shrimp

Stir well & let this simmer for another 10 minutes

To serve:

Place mounds of rice in large bowls and ladle the gumbo over the rice

~ Happy Birtday Jeffrey! ~

Available for download @

ITUNES

AMAZON

CD BABY

stop by & visit us @ our Reverbnation page

& the Johnny Pierre site

Chef Shaboo's Culinary Predictions for 2012

2012-01-16T06:21:00.001-05:00

Hello my little friends!

I am Chef Shaboo

from the Kitchen in the Great Beyond!

Here are my culinary predictions for 2012!

Among this year's hot techno marvels will be the Hot Pocket Cell Phone/Microwave Oven; a device which will transfix many busy communters into thinking they can prepare a three course meal while driving to work!

Anthony Bourdain (star of Travel Channel's No Reservations show and more recently, The Layover) will be forced to revamp his upcoming "HOW TO..." tv series after the pilot episode, How To Drink A Bottle of Macalan's Fine & Rare 1939 Scotch In 30 Minutes Or Less, tests poorly at an audience screening in March 2010. Sensing that his core following has matured and tired of his "bad boy chef" image, Bourdain will attempt to give his schtick a little less of a bohemian flair. When the new series premieres on the Travel Channel, Bourdain will proudly sleepwalk through such episodes as Fish & Chips I Love (in which Tony somehow ends up cooking at an Arthur Treachers fast food eatery in Dubai), My New Religion: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (which features hard hitting footage of Bourdain preparing this magical foodstuff for a kindergarten class in Hamburg, Germany), and I Like To Play With Dough (in which Anthony crafts his favorite foods out of Play-Doh in a little shack out in the woods of West Virginia).

Paula Deen (of Food Network fame) will take her showbiz career out of the kitchen and onto the stage as she returns to the airwaves as Kate in an avant-garde HBO production of Shakespere's The Taming of The Shrew Top Chef's Tom Colicchio will also be part of the cast, appearing as Petruchio.

Sometime during the coming year, a team of internationally funded food scientists will invent edible grass suitable for consumption by human beings! Touted as a way to end world hunger, many governments will adopt the slogan, Let Them Eat Grass! Bobby Flay, who knows a good thing when he sees one, will open LAWN GONE, the world's first restaurant to feature a grass based menu. This restaurant will close suddenly in 2014 when Alton Brown is maimed in a bizarre lawn mower accident while shooting a segment for his long running tv show Good Eats on site at the eatery.

In the Spring of 2012, a trans fat nostalgia craze will sweep across America! The Six Flags Amusement Park corporation will quickly open FATTY WORLD, a 2000 acre theme park in Butte, Montana. The most popular attractions will be the Pomme Frites Flea Circus and the Hot Zeppole ride which involves stunned customers being dunked in a thick batter and then tossed into a gigantic fryolater for 30 seconds!

In late summer, several ears of genetically modified corn will suddenly come to life and begin staging hold-ups at 7-11 stores across the United States!

Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad will become The Next FoodNetwork Star and go on to appear on his own show-- You say Hamas, I say Hummus!

As the recession drags on, former Vice President Dick Cheney will be named CEO of the Oscar Meyer hot dog company. Within a year, he will lead the company into bankruptcy! The hot dog will fall into such disfavor with consumers that it will lead to the cultural disappearance of this favorite ballpark nosh. Due to an excess product inventory of mustard acoss the country, the United States Congress will jump into the fray and pass a law that requires that all yellow mustard be used to shine shoes in place of shoe polish. The last remaining labor union on the face of the earth -- The United Condiment Brotherhood of Workers -- will dump a million pounds of ketchup into the Atlantic ocean in an act of protest.

Sometime in the fall of 2012, world scientists will release a report on the effects of consuming genetically modified foods. The report will indicate a 25% loss of taste bud function in humans who eat these foods along with the fact that their right index fingers tend to shrink by 2 inches! Rachel Ray, who will become one of the major advocates of eating genetically modified foodstuffs, will suffer the loss of her hair after participating in a promotional stunt in which she high dives into a pool of genetically modified eggplant puree! She will eventually turn her baldness to her advantage by becoming the new spokesperson for Mr. Clean products in 2014!

My crystal ball is getting cloudy now so I must take leave of you.

I shall return when I have more visions of the future.

Until we meet again, my little friends, this has been......

Chef Shaboooooooooooooo!

How To Steam Fresh Asparagus

2012-01-10T05:26:00.000-05:00

Along with Brussels Sprouts, Asparagus has remained one of my all-time favorite vegetables throughout the years. I enjoy it right off the stove warm or as a chilled snack (a great nosh, to be sure).

For you food history buffs, my research indicates that the history of Asparagus goes back as far as the first century. The Greeks and Romans made it a part of their diets and the Egyptians used it as medicine. "Hey Doc, I ain't feelin so hot..." "Swallow 3 stalks of asparagus a day for a week." This blog is not only delicious but also informative. How 'bout that!

A Word About My Steaming Equipment: Now, I don't posess a regulation veggie steamer but am quite happy with my own improvised equipment--- basically, I use a small pot (which can hold around 8 cups of liquid), a medium sized metal colander and a pot lid big enough to fit over the top of the colander. One adjustment I made to the lid was to remove it's little knob which sits in the center of the lid -- instead of using the knob as a holder, I use a pair of tongs to move the lid on & off of the colander thereby leaving a little hole in the top of the lid where the knob used to be. This allows a small amount of steam to escape during the steaming process which helps me control the final texture of the steamed vegetables. Anyhow, a set up like this is as easy as pie to throw together without spending those expensive Chef's Catalog prices for a real steamer. (Gosh, if this was one of those fancy food blogs I probably would have an expensive CHEF FROM HELL VEGGIE STEAMER to sell you... Hmmm, maybe next year...)

Ingredients:

Cold Water

1 lb Fresh Asparagus

Sea Salt

Cooking Procedure:

Place the asparagus in a colander in the sink

Lightly rinse the asparagus with cold water

Let it drain well

Trim 1 1/2 inches off the end of the stalk (the white part)

Set the asparagus aside

Fill the small pot with 4 1/2 to 5 cups of cold water

Place the pot over high heat on your stove

Bring this to a rolling boil

Place the asparagus in the colander over the boiling water

Sprinkle sea salt over the vegetables according to your taste

Place the lid on top on top of the vegetables in the colander

Steam the asparagus until their texture has softened slightly...

about 2 to 3 minutes...

the asparagus stalks should be flexible & bend easily

Once the vegetables are steamed to your liking...
turn off the heat under the pot

Carefully remove the lid and...

while wearing a pair of oven mitts...

transfer the colander to the sink...

to let any excess moisture in the colander drain off

To serve warm:

Toss the asparagus with some fresh lemon juice and...

a little unsalted butter

If you're going to eat the asparagus later:

immediately place the asparagus in a bowl of ice water...

this will stop the asparagus from cooking any further...

once the asparagus is chilled...

drain well, pat dry with paper towels & place in the fridge...

Santa's Favorite Cookie

2011-12-24T04:46:00.001-05:00

~ From The Chef From Hell Archives ~

Sweet Loretta, who is the master of all things baked in our house--- cookies, cakes, pies etc. ---always celebrates the beginning of the holiday season by baking a batch of (gasp!) Santa's Favorite Cookie. "Santa's favorite cookie?! What the...?!" Yes! I'm referring to the immortal Snickerdoodle, of course! "Snickerdoodles?! What the...?!"

These Colonial cookies are Santa's favorite. Santa once told me that on quiet nights in the North Pole, while going over his naughty-or-nice list by the fire with his big ol' dog, Bear, he likes nothing better than digging into a plate of Mrs. Claus' Snickerdoodles and a cup of her special cocoa that contains a tablespoon of Creme de Menthe!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups White Sugar

1/2 cup unsalted Butter, softened

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 large Eggs

2 3/4 cups White Flour

1tsp Cream of Tartar

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

For the cinnamon/sugar coating:

2 TBS additional White Sugar

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Cooking Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda & salt into a bowl

Set this flour mixtureaside

In a large mixing bowl...

beat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and the butter together...

until they're light & fluffy

Add the vanilla extract & the eggs

Blend well

Add the flour mixture by thirds, mixing well with each addition

Place this mixing bowl of cookie dough in the fridge for a few minutes...

while you prepare the cinnamon/sugar coating for the cookies

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon & the sugar, breaking up any lumps & blending well

Remove the mixing bowl of cookie dough from the fridge & shape this dough into 1 inch balls

Roll the balls in the cinnamon/sugar coating mixture & then shape them into cookies

Place the shaped cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet pans

Bake the cookies for 8 - 10 minutes or until the cookies are set

The snickerdoodles should be lightly browned & crackled and...

should lightly spring back when gently pressed by a finger

Let the cookies cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes

Chef Jp & Sweet Loretta wish you all....

A COOL YULE!

North Pole Snack Cakes

2011-12-23T05:08:00.003-05:00

~ From The Chef From Hell Archives ~

Ah, Sweet Loretta (our resident Baker here at The Chef From Hell food blog) created a new Holiday treat this past week! Sweet Lo sez: "This is one of Santa's favorites. He's a big fan of that creme de menthe, you know. In this case, Santa can enjoy a nice cup of tea with this tasty snack, as the creme de menthe is baked right into the cake! Merry Christmas everybody!"

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups White Flour, sifted

1 1/2 cups White Sugar

4 large Eggs

1/4 tsp Kosher Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 cup Half & Half

1/2 lb unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp Vanilla extract

2 TBS Cocoa Powder

4 TBS Creme De Menthe

1/2 tsp White Vinegar

Several dashes Red Food Coloring

1 cup White Chocolate Chips

COOKING PROCEDURE:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, eggs, salt, baking powder, half & half, butter and vanilla

Using a hand mixer, beat this on low speed for 10 minutes

Beat in the cocoa pwder & the creme de menthe

When all of these ingredients are completely blended, add the vinegar

Mix well

Starting with 1 tsp...

add enough of the red food coloring until you attain a dark pink color to the cake batter

Gently fold in the white chocolate chips

Fold the batter into loaf pans

Note: fill each loaf pan 3/4, not all the way to the top

(These cakes expand when they bake)

Bake for 20 - 45 minutes...

or until a toothpick that is inserted comes out clean

Let the snack cakes cool on a wire rack before...
cutting into square portions

Christmas Eve Lasagna

2011-12-16T05:31:00.015-05:00

~ FROM THE CHEF FROM HELL ARCHIVES ~

In the Italian food culture, it is the custom to serve up a seafood dinner on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. This has its roots in the Catholic tradition of not partaking of meat on holy days such as Good Friday. It's a fun approach to creating a menu during the holidays and there's a wide variety of seafood dishes you can prepare. My family's tradition (even though we're not Italian-- although I was indeed born in Trieste, Italy--hoo hah!) is to enjoy a nice seafood lasagna on Christmas Eve.

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1/4 cup fresh Basil leaf, chopped small

2 cloves Garlic, diced fine

1 large Carrot; ends removed, peeled & chopped small

1 large Spanish Onion, chopped medium

2 stalks Celery, chopped small

1/2 tsp dried Oregano

1 large Bay Leaf, crumbled up

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

2 TBS dry red wine

2 cans Whole Peeled Plum Tomatoes (16 oz each)

8 oz canned Tomato Sauce

1 pkg. dried Lasagna noodles

1 lb peeled Shrimp, cooked & chopped coarse

1/2 lb fresh lump Crabmeat (discard any shell fragments you find)

Grated Romano Cheese

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Cooking Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

To make a batch of sauce:

Heat 3 TBS of olive oil in a medium sized pot over high heat

Add the fresh basil, garlic, carrot, onion & celery

Cook this down until the onions begin to turn clear

Add the wine & stir well

Let this cook down for 1 minute

Add the oregano, salt, bay leaf & crushed red pepper

Stir well & let this cook down for 2 minutes

Reduce heat to medium

Place the canned plum tomatoes along with their juice in a food processor

Pulse 5 times to break them down a bit

Add the pulsed tomatoes & the tomato sauce to the sauce pot

Stir well & let this simmer along for 5 minutes

Reduce heat to low

While your sauce is cooking slowly, cook off your lasagna noodles

Once they are cooked & rinsed with cold water...

let them drain for a couple of minutes

To Prep the Lasagna:

Using a little more olive oil, grease a 2 quart casserole dish

Lay out a layer of the noodles across the bottom of the casserole

Over this drizzle a bit of the tomato sauce

Sprinkle a layer of the cooked seafood...

followed by dusting of the romano cheese

Repeat these layers of noodles, sauce, seafood & romano cheese...

until you've assembled all of the noodles & seafood

Note: You will have extra sauce...

this sauce recipe can be used in a variety of dishes on a Christmas menu

After the final layers have been placed...

top off the lasagna with...
a heavy spread of the shredded Mozzarella Cheese

To Cook the Lasagna:

Place the lasana in the oven

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly & lightly browned on top

How To Roast Chestnuts

2011-12-08T05:20:00.002-05:00

From The Chef From Hell Archives...

Buried deep within the culinary gee-gaws of the Holiday Season are some foodstuffs that harken back to perhaps the earliest celebrations of Christmas. Roast chestnuts is one of those elemental yum-yums that has become a fixture of Yuletide menus the world over. eh?

My father-in-law, Nick, being the fine Italian gentleman that he is, introduced me to the technique of taking warm chestnuts (right outta the oven), quickly peeling them and then placing them in a nice glass of red wine. Then, as you sip your way to the bottom of your wine glass, lo & behold! There lies a delicious wine infused (still warm) chestnut just waiting to be eaten. Ah yes....

Ingredients:

A whole bunch of fresh chestnuts (shell on)

Cooking Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees

Take paper towels or a cloth and wipe down all of the chestnuts that you will be roasting

Using a sharp paring knife, cut an "X" on one side of each chestnut...

this will allow steam to escape as the nuts roast

Place the prepped chestnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet pan...

making sure that the side bearing the "X" is facing up

Place the nuts in the oven

Roast the chestnuts for 15 to 25 minutes or...

until the nuts are tender & the shell pulls away easily

When the chestnuts are done...

let them cool for 10 to 15 minutes before peeling

Pour yourself a nice glass of red wine and...
think about a certain Christmas from your past, eh?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FOLKS!

2011-11-24T05:24:00.002-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to one & all from...

Chef JP & Sweet Loretta

Sweet Loretta's Thanksgiving Pecan Pie

2011-11-21T05:23:00.001-05:00

Ah, the Thanksgiving holiday is right around the corner and you know what that means? It means my house gets transformed into a veritable pie factory as Sweet Loretta fills the large amount of Thanksgiving pie orders she gets from our friends and former restaurant customers this time of year. By next week, this entire place will be awash in pie tins, bowls of chopped pecans, large cans of pumpkin pie filling (for that classic Sleep Hollow pie, eh?), dust clouds of flour will be wafting across the length of the kitchen, rock & roll will be blaring from the home stereo speakers and my wife will be walking around in circles mumbling to herself, "Hmmm, does this call for one cup of sugar or two? I can't remember!" Ah yes, Thanksgiving...I wouldn't have it any other way...and it just wouldn't be the same if Sweet Loretta didn't make one of her pecan pies for me! The pie filling falls within the traditional deep South pie recipes and the crust is adapted from Nick Maglieri's excellent book, Perfect Pastry (1989 - MacMillan Publishing). A little slice of heaven...and that's what it's all about, eh?

To Make The Crust:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups White Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

1 stick very cold unsalted Butter

1 large Egg

Cooking Procedure:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt & baking powder

Turn several times with a fork to blend

Cut the cutter into 1/4 inch sticks, reserving 2 pieces for use later in the recipe

Using your fingers...

work the butter into the flour mixture until well blended and...

the dough has a coarse consistency

In a small bowl, beat the egg

Pour the beaten egg into the dough mixture and...

stir with a spoon, taking care not to overwork the dough

It will take on a tough consistency

Spray a 9 inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray

Take a handful of the dough & place it in the middle of the pie pan

Using your hands, spread the dough around and...

press it into the bottom of the pie pan, flouring your fingers and

adding more dough if neccessary...

Use the remainder of the dough to push up the sides...

using your index finger to make a thin lip around the pie

Flute the sides of the pie crust with your thumb & forefinger

(My! How tactile! I love it!)

Cover the crust with plastic wrap & refrigerate it for later use

Note: You can also freeze this crust

To Make The Pie Filling:

Ingredients:

4 large Eggs

1 lb Dark Brown Sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 cups Light Corn Syrup

1 tsp Salt

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups chopped Pecans

Cooking Procedure:

In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs

Add the brown sugar while whisking the eggs

Add the melted butter & vanilla extract

Continue whisking

Add the corn syrup & salt

Beat well for a minute or so, breaking up any sugar lumps

Set the filling aside

To finish the pie:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Take the pie crust out of the fridge and...

prick the bottom & sides of the crust with a fork

Spread the pecan pieces evenly across the bottom of the crust

Pour in the filling to cover the pecans

Place the pecan pie in a larger rectangular baking dish

Bake the pie for 10 minutes at 400 degrees

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees

Cover the large rectangular baking dish with aluminum foil...

leaving enough room so that the foil is not directly touching the pie itself

Bake the pie for additional 40 to 45 minutes or until the pie is firm

Let the pie cool on a wire rack before serving

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-19T21:26:00.001-05:00

Wishing all of you fine folks
out there in the cyber soup...

A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The new Johnny Pierre single...

Available now on ITUNES

Holiday Pies For A Worthy Cause

2011-11-14T07:41:00.003-05:00

Howdy one & all!

Ah, it's never too early to start thinking about (yum!) Holiday Pie!

For the past 22 years, Sweet Loretta & I have made Christmas Eve Dinner for a local homeless shelter here in Long Island. One of the ways we raise money for this event is through Sweet Lo's pie sales. If there are any Long Islanders interested in helping us out with this worthy cause by purchasing some pies for Thanksgiving, please contact Sweet Loretta at luckylo657@gmail.com

Here are the tasty pies that Sweet Lo is baking this year:

SLEEPY HOLLOW PIE – Voted BEST PIE ON LONG ISLAND 3 years in a row!…graham cracker crust, layer of light creamy cheesecake, finished with a layer of pumpkin mousse….$18.00 (sorry for the price increase from last year, but super wet conditions have caused a scarcity of pumpkin and therefore, increased price.)

COCONUT CUSTARD PIE…Coconut galore, held captive by custard…$17.00

PEANUT BUTTER PRETZEL PIE …MMM! Crushed pretzel crust filled with a cool peanut butter cream that won’t stick to the roof of your mouth…$18.00

PECAN PIE…handmade crust, sweet filling, loaded with chopped pecans…$18.00

APPLE CRUMB PIE…handmade through and through from the crust, to the fresh hand sliced apple filling with a crumble topping, it’s deep, not too sweet and quite the treat…$19.00

CHESS PIE…sweet, classic Southern cornmeal buttermilk pie that’s a real crowd pleaser (forget the description, remember the taste)…$17.00

TOLLHOUSE PIE…Based on the ever comforting recipe from the Tollhouse Inn, this pie incorporates chocolate and butterscotch chips…$17.00

CUB SCOUT BROWNIE PIE…chocolate, chocolate chocolate, with chocolate chips…$17.00

All of these delicious pies are handmade...from scratch!

The pies are 9 inches, and approximately 2 ½ inches tall

Please have your order placed before Sunday, November 20, 2011

ALSO...

To this blog's many out-of-state readers

(or folks who just don't like pie...)

if you'd like to help us out anyhoo

please use the PayPal DONATE button below

to contribute to this worthy cause...

Any amount will be greatly appreciated

Thanks!

Halloween Pumpkin Soup

2011-10-31T05:19:00.001-04:00

Over the years, one of our Halloween family traditions each and every October involved my daughter Molly drawing a face on a huge pumpkin which we had brought home from a pumpkin picking expedition at one of the local farms. Then, either Sweet Lo or myself would wield a big knife & spoon; carving out the jack o' lantern face & scooping out the pumpkin meat before the pumpkin was ceremoniously placed on our front stoop for all the world to see. Now that Molly is no longer a little tyke (& a college student to boot), we decided to started a new tradition last year --- buying three small pumpkins which we would in turn individually paint up with some magic markers and then ceremoniously place on our front stoop for all the world to see. It turns out this new tradition is as much fun as the old one! However, the question still remains (as it did when we carved up the big jack o' lanterns of old)--- what should we do with all that delicious pumpin meat? Make some pumpkin soup, that's what!

The more things change, the more they remain the same, eh?

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 small Spanish Onion, diced fine

2 stalks Celery, diced fine

1/2 cup Smoked Ham, diced fine

1 TBS Dark Brown Sugar, crumbled up

5 cups roasted Pumpkin meat

3 cups Chicken Stock

Note: If you want to make your own stock, go HERE

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

Dry Spice Mix:

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1/2 tsp Ground White Pepper

1 pinch Ground Nutmeg

Cooking Procedure:

To roast the pumpkin meat...

Place the pumpkin meat in a baking dish...

Drizzle a little olive oil over it & toss well

Place in a 350 oven

Roast the pumplin meat until soft & carmelized...

about 20 - 25 minutes...

Let the pumpkin meat cool for about 10 minutes or so...

Once cooled, puree the pumpkin in a food processor...

Set aside until needed....

To prepare the soup:

In a medium sized pot, heat 2 TBS olive oil over high heat for 2 minutes

Stir well & cook this down until the onions begin to soften

Add the smoked ham & brown sugar

Stir well & reduce heat to medium

Let this cook down for 3 minutes

Place the pureed pumpkin meat in the pot

Stir well

Add the chicken stock

Stir well

Let this come up to a high simmer

Reduce heat to low

Simmer the soup for 20 minutes

Stir in the cream

Let the soup simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes...
until it has thickened a bit

This Halloween Post was sponsored by...

the new JOHNNY PIERRE single

available for download

@

Memories of the Fall Season: Pumpkin Curry

2011-10-26T08:02:00.002-04:00

Ah, up here in Long Island we've been having a stretch of Indian Summer weather and the lazy pleasures of the fall season are upon us. This season always sparks memories of when Sweet Lo, Molly and I used to go pumpkin picking at one of the local farms here in Long Island back in the day. This was an annual rite which involved strolling about an open field strewn with pumpkins and entering into a lengthy debate on the merits of the many choice pumpkins we encountered...

"Hmmm, this one's not round enough.."

"This one is beginning to rot on the bottom..."

"I like this one--I could hear it calling to me!"

After the perfect pumpkin is taken home, it is then time to carve up this magnificent gourd and make a dandy jack-o-lantern for our Halloween display. What will I do with all that delicious pumpkin meat that is rendered from within this bulbous beast? Make some pumpkin curry of course! Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh Pumpkin meat, cubed

4 TBS Dark Chili Powder

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 large Spanish Onion, chopped medium coarse

6 cloves Roasted Garlic

Note: for my roasted garlic recipe, go HERE

2 tsp fresh Ginger Root, peeled & diced fine

2 TBS canned diced Green Chiles

2 large fresh Jalapeno Peppers, stems removed & diced fine

2 TBS Tequila

(use the cheap stuff & then save the rest for your next party)

1 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock

Note: if you want to make your own vegetable stock, go HERE

3/4 cup canned Coconut Milk

Dry Spice Mix:

2 TBS Ground Cumin

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

3 TBS Curry Powder

Note: if you want to make your own powder, go HERE

1 TBS Crushed Red Pepper

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 TBS Ground Corriander

Cooking Procedure:

In a small bowl, combine all of the dry spice mix ingredients

Mix well & set this aside

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat

While the oil is heating in the skillet...

place the cubed pumpkin in a bowl &...

sprinkle the chili powder over it

Using your hands, toss well

Carefully slide the seasoned pumpkin into the skillet

Stir well & cook the pumpkin for 2 minutes

Add the following ingredients....

dry spice mix, onion, roasted garlic, ginger root, green chiles & jalapeno peppers

Stir well

Cook this down for 2 minutes

Add the tequila

A note of caution...

there may be a flame when the alcohol is added to the pan...

so don't be leaning over the skillet when you do this!

Shake the pan & stir the curry as it cooks

Reduce the heat to medium & let the curry cook for 5 minutes

Add the vegetable stock & coconut milk

Stir well & let this simmer for 5 minutes

Reduce heat to low

Simmer the curry until the pumpkin pieces are tender...

about 10 to 15 minutes cooking time

Serve in bowls with warm flatbreads on the side

Happy Halloween!

Johnny Pierre's new single

Available for download now at...

CD BABY

The Flavors of the Season: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2011-10-14T05:32:00.002-04:00

October is the month which finds me preparing a variety of pumpkin based dishes so I figured that, it being the season of the pumpkin, another pumpkin recipe should be the order of the day, eh? Today's recipe is a perfect seasonal snack which makes good use of all of those pesky seeds one finds in a fresh pumpkin. "Oh, so that's what you're supposed to do with them!" Yes, indeed. These tasty autmnal morsels have already gotten me through a couple of World Series games so far. Here's how you make 'em....

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh Pumkin Seeds

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

COOKING PROCEDURE:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees

Take all of the seeds you harvest from a fresh pumpkin & place them in a colander in the sink

Rinse well with cold water

Let the seeds drain a bit

Place the seeds on some layers of paper towels & dry the seeds completely

Then place all of the seeds in a mixing bowl

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the seeds

Toss well

Place the oiled seeds in a single layer on an ungreased sheet pan

Place the sheet pan in the oven

Bake the pumpkin seeds for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the seeds are crisp and golden brown

Let the seeds cool down to room temp

Place the seeds in a small bowl

Season to taste with some Sea Salt
and if you like it hot, add a little cayenne pepper, eh?

Ah, don'cha just love this time of the year?

Sweet Loretta's Scarecrow Pumpkin Loaves

2011-10-11T08:52:00.004-04:00

Ah yes folks, it's October in Long Island and around my house that means we make a few scarecrows in the backyard and set up our Fall display around the house with spooky things, lotsa pumpkins and so on.

This year's scarecrow is named Hobo Joe and here's how he looks:

This year we had some help from the whole gang here...

...our daughter Molly (she's a bonafide college student y'know)

our upstairs neighbor Kevin

Kevin's son Little Ol' Lee

and, of course, our new hound, Journey!

It was a regular fun fest fer sure...

and our little scarecrow festival
always gets October off to a grand start!

Amid all the hubub of Halloween preparations and the like, Sweet Loretta got the inspiration to bake up a nice batch of her pumpkin loaves. Mmmmm! Yumbo-licious, eh?

Here's how ya make 'em...

In a large bowl, combine the following DRY ingredients:

3 1/3 CUPS FLOUR

2 TSP BAKING SODA

1 CUP LIGHT BROWN SIGAR

1 ¾ CUP WHITE SUGAR

¾ TSP CINNAMON

½ TSP NUTMEG

1/8 TSP GROUND GINGER

blend all of your DRY ingredients together

Set this aside

In another bowl, combine the WET ingredients:

1 CUP OIL

4 LARGE EGGS

2/3 CUP BREWED COFFEE (TO ROOM TEMPERATURE)

2 CUPS SOLID PACK PUMPKIN

Using a whisk, blend the WET ingredients together

Set these ingredient bowls aside for a moment

Spray and flour Two 9 x 5 baking pans.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make a well in the dry ingredients

Add blended wet ingredients

Stir well with wire whisk

Pour batter into baking pans, about 2/3 full

Bake about 40 minutes or...

until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Let the pumpkin loaves cool before slicing

Vermont Cheese Soup

2011-10-03T05:02:00.000-04:00

One thing I enjoy about living here in Long Island is that there is usually a nice change of season that marks the end of summer. Yes indeed, the rhythm of the seasons is a mighty fine thing. The air begins to get cool in the late afternoon. As the evening begins to settle in, you can smell woodsmoke in the air from folks using their fireplaces. As with the change in seasons, so goes the kitchen. Now, it's time for a cook's thoughts to turn to...soup! Usually, at the first snap of cold weather, I'll make a batch of this fine Vermont Cheese soup. Soft and comforting, it's like a warm blanket on a crisp chilly day.

Ingredients:

1 quart Chicken Stock

If you want to make your own stock...

go HERE

1 TBS Olive Oil

2 Leeks, rinsed well & diced (white part only)

1 stalk Celery, diced

1 small Spanish Onion, diced

1 small Carrot, peeled & diced

1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce

2 TBS dry White Wine

3 Tbs unsalted Butter

3 TBS White Flour, sifted

2 1/2 cups shredded Extra-Sharp Cheddar Cheese

2 Egg Yolks

1 cup Heavy Cream

Dry Spice Mix:

■1/2 tsp ground White Pepper

■1/2 tsp ground Nutmeg

■1/4 tsp thyme

■1/2 tsp Dry Mustard

■1 tsp Kosher Salt

Cooking Procedure:

Combine all ingredients for the dry spice mix in a bowl

Mix well & set aside

In a large pot, heat the olive oil for 2 minutes

Add the following ingredients...

leeks, celery, onions, carrots, worcestershire sauce & dry spice mix

Stir well & cook until onions & celery begin to wilt

Add the white wine

Stir well & cook for 2 minutes

Add the chicken stock & bring this to a boil

Reduce heat to medium

Let this simmer with the pot covered for 1 hour

Make a Roux:

In a sautee pan, melt the butter over medium heat

When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour gradually

Add 3 TBS of the hot chicken stock to your roux

Whisk well & then gradually add the roux to the stock

Stir well with each addition of roux to the stock

Cook until soup begins to thicken slightly

Add the cheddar cheese

Stir the soup until the cheese has melted

Reduce heat to low

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks & heavy cream

Stir in 2 TBS of the soup to warm the egg mixture

Rapidly whisk the egg mixture into the soup

Simmer soup for another 20 - 30 minutes

If you'd like to garnish this soup with some homemade croutons...

here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh French Bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/4 lb unsalted Butter

1 cup grated Romano Cheese

Cooking Procedure:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat

Once the butter is melted, remove from heat

Let the butter rest for 10 minutes

In a mixing bowl...

toss the cubed bread & melted butter together

Make sure the bread is evenly coated with the butter

Place the cubed bread on a sheet pan

Put the pan in the oven

Bake the croutons for 15 minutes

Shake the pan from time to time to prevent sticking

Remove the croutons from the oven

Place them in a mixing bowl

Add the grated cheese & toss well

Place the croutons on a sheet pan to cool

Ah, just listen to that wind blowing outside...