About my Blog

The best experience than I have been able to enjoy in my life is to cook. The kitchen is not a profession to which it is gone to obtain the resources necessary to survive, but the adorable temple where that loves this profession it gets to rest of the real world, where it submerges in that creative volume to obtain a smile and a gratefulness of which they wait for the best thing of us. To cook is an art, is the creativity personified in the personal taste of each chef, is the freedom to include in each prescription the most dissimilar ingredients and to obtain an incredible flavor…….

LOBSTER RAVIOLI IN TOMATO CREAM SAUCE WITH SHRIMP



Ingredients

* For the Shrimp Stock:
* 1/2 pound unpeeled large shrimp
* 1 yellow onion, quartered
* 2 stalks celery with leaves, cut into pieces
* 1 lemon, halved
* 1 tablespoon dried basil
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme
* 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 3 cups water
*
* For the Sauce:
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 shallot, minced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup white wine
* 1 cup canned petite diced tomatoes
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 16 lobster ravioli
*
* For Garnish:
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells and heads. Chop the shrimp into bite-size pieces. To make the shrimp stock, combine the shrimp shells and heads, onion, and celery in a large pot. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pot, then add the lemon halves as well. Add the dried basil, oregano, thyme, peppercorns, 1/2 cup parsley, and 3 cups of water.
Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, skimming away any foam or impurities that have risen to the surface. Strain the shrimp stock and set aside. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the shrimp pieces until pink and almost cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add the shallots to the pan; cook and stir until the shallots have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, salt, and ground pepper.
Cook for thirty seconds, then add the white wine. Bring to a boil and cook until the white wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp stock to the pan, bring it to a boil, and simmer until the sauce is reduce by half, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, fill a large pot with heavily salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in ravioli, and return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the ravioli float to the top and the filling is hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well, reserving a little pasta-cooking water to thin the sauce, if necessary.

Stir the diced tomatoes and cream into the shrimp sauce and heat through. Return the shrimp to the pan, taste the sauce, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold the ravioli into the sauce. Place four ravioli onto each of four warmed pasta bowls or plates and top with sauce. Garnish the pasta with chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Leer más »
COFFEE CHEESECAKE




Crust

1 1/2 cups crushed low-fat graham wafers
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 egg white

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine graham crumbs and sugar in a small bowl. Add egg white and mix well. Press onto bottom of 9- inch springform pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake just until edges feel firm and dry, about 8 minutes. Let cool.

Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cups low-fat 1% cottage cheese
8 ounces light cream cheese
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
3 egg whites (at room temperature)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Combine 2/3 cup sugar, flour, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.

Process cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add cream cheese, egg and 2 egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Gradually add flour mixture and beat until well blended. Add vanilla extract and beat again.

Mix coffee granules with skim milk until dissolved. Add to cheese mixture along with sour cream. Beat until smooth.

In separate bowl, beat 3 egg whites with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add 4 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg white mixture into cheese mixture.

Pour batter into prepared crust. Rake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until almost set. Turn oven off. Leave cake in oven for 1 hour.

Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Run knife along edges of cake before removing sides of pan.


Leer más »
BLACKENED SHRIMP STROGANOFF




Ingredients

* 1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
* 6 ounces fettuccini pasta
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
* 2/3 cup chicken broth
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers
* 1 tablespoon drained capers

Directions

Combine peeled shrimp, oil, and Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl. Set aside. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Cook and stir mushrooms and shallot in butter until tender. Remove from pan.

Add shrimp cook until shrimp turn pink about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add 2/3 cup chicken broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until reduced to 1/4 cup (2 to 3 minutes). In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and cornstarch; mix in 1 cup chicken broth. Stir into reduced chicken broth in the frying pan.

Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook 1 minute more. Stir in shrimp, mushroom mixture, roasted red peppers, and capers. Heat through, and season to taste. Serve over pasta.


Leer más »
NEW MEXICO STYLE ENCHILADAS




ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds hamburger meat
3 to 4 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon flour
Tomato juice to cover meat
Shredded lettuce
Shredded cheese (Cheddar or cheese of your choice)
Diced tomatoes
Diced onion
Corn or flour tortillas
Vegetable oil (for heating tortillas)

Directions:

Brown meat and drain well. Add spices and flour, and cover with tomato juice. Simmer until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, shred the lettuce and cheese in separate bowls. Also dice the tomatoes and onions in separate bowls. When sauce is about ready, heat oil in a small saut? pan.

To assemble, heat a tortilla in the hot oil, drain and place in the center of a plate. Pour on a dipper of sauce and some cheese. Heat another tortilla and place on top of the first, followed by another dipper of sauce and cheese. Continue in this manner until you have as many on the plate as one person wants. A usual adult will start with three or four stacked. For the final layer, add lettuce, tomatoes and onion along with sauce and cheese. Some people like to have the vegetables in between the layers also. Traditionally, a poached egg is placed on top of the stack right before serving.

This recipe is built to each person's appetite, but the pot of sauce will feed 6 adults or 3 or 4 hungry adults. Amounts can be adjusted for smaller portions or larger, just adjust the spices to your personal preference if you use more meat. You can make this as spicy or as bland as you like.


Leer más »
LAMB AND EGGPLANT LASAGNA



Ingredients:

30 ¼-inch thick slices of eggplant.
3 cups of Flour.
3 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons of Milk.
3 cups of Fine dried bread crumbs.
Bayou Blast.
1 cup of Vegetable oil.
1 lb Feta cheese crumbled.
2 cups of Bechamel Sauce.
Ready-to-use Lasagna slices.

For the Lamb Sauce.

2 tablespoons of Olive oil.
1 lb Ground lamb.
Salt to taste.
2 teaspoons of Crushed red pepper.
2 cups of Finely-chopped onions.
½ cup of Finely-chopped celery.
½ cup of Finely-chopped carrot.
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste.
2 tablespoons of Chopped garlic.
2 can Peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes.
1 small can Tomato paste.
3 cups of Beef stock or water.
2 x Fresh thyme sprigs.
2 x Bay leaves.
2 teaspoons of Dried oregano.
2 teaspoons of Dried basil.
2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Directions:

For the Lamb Sauce:

In a large saucepan heat the oil. Add the lamb and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Brown the meat for 6 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and tomatoes to the saucepan. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the tomato paste with the water and add to the tomatoes. Add the thyme, oregano, bay leaves, basil and red pepper. Mix well. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if required. During the last 30 minutes, stir in the cheese. Leave to cool.

To make the egg plant:

Cover the eggplant slices in flour. Dip in the egg wash and bread crumbs mixed with Bayou Blast. In a large pan, over medium heat, add 1/2 cup of the oil. Pan-fry the eggplant for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with the Creole seasoning.

To assemble:

Grease a lasgna pan. Spread 2 cups of the lamb sauce over the bottom of the pan. Crumble 1/4 of the cheese over the sauce. Lay 10 slices of the eggplant onto the cheese.
5. Cover with a layer of lasagna slices. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to form 3 layers. Spread the Bechamel Sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 F for about 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Leer más »
CREAMY PESTO SHRIMP




Ingredients

* 1 pound linguine pasta
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/3 cup pesto
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine.




Leer más »
STACKED ENCHILADAS




Ingredients:

Red chili sauce
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup chopped, pitted ripe olives
1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

Directions:

Cook beef in 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up beef into small pieces, until no longer red, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onion; saut? until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Spoon off fat. Add garlic, salt and 1 cup red chili sauce to skillet; mix well. Heat over medium heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until mot of the liquid has evaporated and meat is moistly coated with sauce, about 5 minutes.

Heat remaining 3/4 cup oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Fry tortillas, 1 at a time, just until limp and blistered, 5 to 10 seconds per side. Drain on paper toweling. Remove oil from skillet; wipe clean.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 cups chili sauce in medium skillet over medium heat until hot; remove from heat. Dip 1 tortilla into chili sauce to coat both sides; remove, draining off excess sauce. Place on broiler-proof individual serving plate. Spread tortilla with slightly rounded, 1/4 cup meat mixture; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon olives. Add second dipped tortilla and meat, cheese and olive layers; top with third dipped tortilla. Repeat procedure to assemble 3 more stacks. Pour any remaining chili sauce over stacks and sprinkle with remaining cheese, dividing evenly.

Place stacks under broiler so that tops are 4 inches below heat source. Broil until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle tops with remaining olives, dividing evenly. Garnish with lettuce.

¡¡¡ Enjoy !!!

Leer más »
CHORIZO BREAKFAST BURRITOS



Ingredients

* cooking spray
* 3/4 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed and crumbled
* 1/2 cup chopped red onion
* 1 green chile pepper, seeded and diced
* 4 eggs
* 4 flour tortillas
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Generously coat a large frying pan with cooking spray. Cook and stir chorizo over medium high heat until well browned and crumbled. Add onion and chile pepper, and continue cooking until onion is tender. Beat eggs in a bowl, and add to chorizo mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until eggs are scrambled and no longer runny. Warm flour tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon mixture into the middle of each tortilla and top with shredded Cheddar cheese. Roll up like a burrito, and enjoy!

Leer más »