Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Recipe : Algerian Bouzgene Berber Bread with Roasted Pepper Sauce

Ingredients
2 red bell peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
salt to taste
2 pounds semolina
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 cups water, or as needed
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons olive oil for frying

Directions
Preheat your oven's broiler. Place red bell peppers and tomatoes on a baking sheet, and roast under the broiler for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally. This should blacken the skin and help it peel off more easily. Cool, then scrape the skins off of the tomatoes and peppers, and place them in a large bowl. Remove cores and seeds from the bell peppers.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the jalapenos and garlic, and cook until tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and transfer the garlic and jalapeno to the bowl with the tomatoes and red peppers. Using two sharp steak knives (one in each hand), cut up the tomatoes and peppers to a coarse and soupy consistency. Stir, and set sauce aside.
Place the semolina in a large bowl, and stir in salt and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Gradually add water while mixing and squeezing with your hand until the dough holds together without being sticky or dry, and molds easily with the hand. Divide into 6 pieces and form into balls.
For each round, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Roll out dough one round at a time, to no thicker than 1/4 inch. Fry in the hot skillet until dark brown spots appear on the surface, and they are crispy. Remove from the skillet, and wrap in a clean towel while preparing the remaining flat breads.
To eat the bread and sauce, break off pieces of the bread, and scoop them into the sauce. It will slide off, but just keep reaching in!

Recipe : Angel Hair Pasta Salad

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages angel hair pasta
1/2 pound cooked bay shrimp
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups ranch-style salad dressing

Directions
Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water.
Mix together the pasta, shrimp, green onions and ranch dressing, then carefully work the shrimp into the pasta with your hands. (Note: As the salad sits, it will absorb some of the dressing; add a little dressing right before serving).

Recipe : All-Natural Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco�), frozen and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup butter, frozen and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 tablespoons ice-cold water, or more as needed
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 carrots, diced
1 cup chopped celery
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups frozen petite peas
1/2 large onion, diced, divided
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons chicken soup base
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions
Preheat an oven to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Lightly oil a 9-inch square casserole dish.
Sift the 3 cups flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg together into a large mixing bowl. Cut the vegetable shortening and cold butter into the flour mixture with a knife or pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some chunks the size of peas. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the flour mixture is moistened. Work the dough as little as possible; this is the key to a super light and flaky crust. After half the water has been incorporated, watch closely, as mixture will come together suddenly. Once it begins to stick together, gather into a ball, divide into halves, and roll each ball out to 1/4-inch thickness, adding flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Press one of the dough portions into the prepared casserole dish, covering bottom and sides completely.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken breasts in the hot skillet until evenly browned on both sides; cut into small cubes and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium-low. Cook the carrots, celery, potatoes, peas, and about half the diced onion in the drippings from the chicken until the carrots soften; add to the bowl with the chicken.
Increase the heat to medium. Add the water to the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon; pour into a cup and set aside.
Melt the butter in the skillet. Cook and stir the remaining onion and the garlic in the melted butter until the onions begin to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons flour over the onion mixture and stir to evenly coat. Pour the reserved liquid over the onion mixture. Stir the chicken base, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme into the mixture. Cook and stir until the mixture has reduced into a thick gravy; pour over the chicken mixture in the mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to cool completely.
Pour the mixture over the crust in the casserole dish. Top with the remaining portion of dough and pinch the edges together to seal the edges. Cut a few slits into the top to vent.
Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the gravy bubbles through the slits, about 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly before serving, 10 to 15 minutes.

Recipe : Apple Ugly Cake

Ingredients
2 cups white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
4 cups chopped, peeled apple

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in the center, and pour in the oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Fold in the raisins and apples. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, until firm and lightly browned.

Recipe : Blackberry Wine Cake I

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
1 (3 ounce) package blackberry gelatin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups blackberry wine
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour on 9 or 10 inch tube pan. Put chopped pecans in bottom of pan.
Combine the cake mix, blackberry gelatin, eggs, oil, and 1 cup blackberry wine. Beat for 2 minutes then pour batter over top of pecans.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Pour 1/2 of blackberry wine glaze over top of cake while still warm. Let set for 10 minutes then remove cake from pan. Allow cake to cool fully before pouring the remaining glaze on top.
To Make Blackberry Wine Glaze: Mix together the confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup blackberry wine, and the softened butter or margarine. Beat until smooth.