Chicken Stock

|
By
|
4 comments

The backbone of any good soup is a good stock. Whether it’s chicken, beef, seafood, of vegetable – it’s key. When I was first learning to cook, I had the hardest times with soups. It seemed so easy, yet, I kept messing it up. It was always too bland, or too overly seasoned. Thankfully, after a few bunk batches, I got the feel for it. It is almost too easy in it’s simplicity. Some chicken scraps, carrots, celery, onion – combined, transform into liquid gold.

You could easily substitute a turkey carcass, if you happen to have one lying around. It’s quite possible a few of you might! I like to make the stock a day ahead, and refrigerate overnight. That way the fat separates to the top of the stock, and I can skim it right off before reheating to make the whatever it is I might be doing with the stock. I find that poultry, more than anything, renders a ton of fat. So, I always like to remove as much as I can. I don’t even bother peeling the onions or the carrots. I literally stumble to the stove in the morning in my PJ’s, throw the stuff in the pot, and call it a day. Doesn’t get much easier than that, folks!

Chicken Stock

chicken carcass (and any extra bones or skin)
2 onions, halved
3 carrots, cut into 1″ pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 1″ pieces
10 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon kosher salt
handful fresh parsley (stems are great for this application!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 quarts water

Heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute for about 5 minutes – until onion starts to brown around the edges. Add the chicken carcass to the stockpot, then add enough water so the chicken is submerged in water. Add the salt, peppercorns, and parsley. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for at least 5 hours – longer, if you have the time.

Place a large bowl in the sink, and place a large colander in the bowl. Strain the broth through the colander to remove the solids. Let the broth cool on the counter for an hour or so before placing it in the refrigerator to chill overnight. When ready to use the broth, remove the fat deposit layer from the top with a spoon and discard. Don’t be alarmed that it looks like chicken Jell-O. That’s normal, and precisely what you want. Heat broth over medium heat to bring back to it’s liquid state, then use however you like.

Pizza Sauce

|
By
|
20 comments

I’m embarrassed to admit it, but in the past I’d always bought my pizza sauce in a jar. I had tried a couple of times to make a version at home, but it always tended to turn out a bit watery. A couple of weeks ago, the good people at Red Pack offered to send me an assortment of their products. While I love fresh tomatoes with all of my heart, a cook always needs a stash of good quality canned tomatoes in their pantry. I’ve long been a fan of Red Pack products, ever since Cook’s Illustrated named their canned whole tomatoes #1 in it’s category.  Needless to say, I was much obliged!

The first thing I made when my package arrived was this pizza sauce. It is definitely a winner! It only takes 5 minutes, and the flavor is unparalleled. I used a can of pureed tomatoes, which I think is the key. Before I had used diced tomatoes, and pureed them myself…which, is what I think what led to the water-logged sauce. Less water content from the “get go” is a good thing. I add a bit of chili pepper flakes to my sauce, as we like a little kick of heat. This makes enough for 2-3 large pizzas, depending on how saucy you like your pies. It’s also a great simple tomato sauce for something like meatballs.

Thanks to Red Pack, I have a lovely canned tomato assortment to pass along to one of my lucky readers! Who couldn’t use some staples for the winter months ahead? Read on for the fine print.

Pizza Sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (14 ounce) can pureed tomatoes
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon oregano

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

The Rules:

– To enter, leave a comment answering this question:  What is your favorite way to use canned tomatoes?

–  One entry per person.  The winner will be chosen by a random number generator.

–  Must leave a valid email address with your entry.

– Giveaway is open until Wednesday 12/21 at 10 pm EST.

Fresh Flour Tortillas

|
By
|
7 comments

We blow through A LOT of tortillas in this house. Flour, whole wheat, corn – we love them all! I’ve heard stories of how much better fresh tortillas are, versus the ones you buy pre-packaged in the store. Big surprise there, right? Unfortunately, we don’t live anywhere in the vicinity of one of those big, fancy-pants grocery stores that sell tortillas made in house. I have found one brand that I adore, but it’s only available at our local restaurant supply store. However, they are HUGE. Like 14″ tortillas. Great for burritos, for everything else – not so much. Leave it to my homegirl Annie, to provide the inspiration to try my hand making them at home.

They turned out wonderful! The dough was a breeze to bring together in the food processor, and a dream to work with when rolling out. My rolling skills aren’t the best, so I was nervous about rolling something as thin as a tortilla. I had no problem whatsoever. Also, they were quick to make! From start to finish, it was about 40 minutes. Super easy! Next time I’ll probably do a double batch, and freeze half to have on hand. They are heartier, yet fluffier than the ones you buy at the mega mart. Not to mention the fact that they actually taste like something. They’re wonderful. Make these!

Flour Tortillas

Yields 12 (8-inch) tortillas

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 heaping tsp salt
5 tablespoons shortening, lard, or softened butter
3/4 – 1 cup warm water

Pulse the flour, baking powder, and salt a few times in your food processor fitted with the dough blade. Add the fat and process until the mixture is uniformly crumbly.

With the food processor on, slowly stream in the water, just until the dry ingredients form a ball and starts traveling around the bowl (you might not use all of the water or you might need a little more).

Let the dough knead for ~30 seconds. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl, be soft and not overly sticky. (You can most certainly do this by hand with a pastry cutter, a wooden spoon, and your hands.)

Turn out onto a flour-dusted surface and divide dough into golf-ball sized portions (I weighed mine out to 2 oz each). Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes.

Heat a large, dry frying pan over medium high heat. With a rolling pin, roll the dough balls into thin rounds, dusting the top with just enough flour to keep the tortilla from sticking to the rolling pin. Lay tortilla flat in the heated pan and cook on each side for ~20 seconds, until the bubbled areas brown. Keep covered with a kitchen towel to keep warm and pliable. Serve warm.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride, via Annie’s Eats and Pennies on a Platter

Oven Fried Pan Pizza

|
By
|
16 comments

panpizza

Pizza made at home used to scare me. Aside from a grill, it’s hard to get a hot enough temperature in your oven to get a decent, crispy crust. After a few attempts, I lost all hope and gave up. A few months later I saw an episode of The Cooking Loft with Alex Guarnaschelli. She was executing a technique for pizza that I had never thought of. Frying the dough in a cast iron skillet before topping it. Then, finishing off the baking in an oven. Genius!

This pizza is great. So great in fact, we rarely order it out anymore (not that we have a slew of great pizza shops around here anyway). This recipe makes 2 12-inch pizzas.Top it with whatever you like. Unlike many pizza crusts, this one can take a beating. So, pile the toppings on. She can handle it, I promise!

Pan Pizza:

Basic Pizza Dough, recipe follows
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups pizza sauce (make your own or use jarred)
8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
Additional toppings (I used pepperoni, ham, and bacon – it’s been dubbed “Porkapalooza”)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
In a 12 inch round cast iron skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Use a spatula to press gently on the top of the round to keep it relatively flat as it cooks. When you see it is slightly brown on the underside, season the top lightly with salt and flip. Remove from heat. Season the other side with salt.  Spread about 3/4 cup sauce evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Then, top with whatever toppings you like. Place in pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes or so, until cheese is nice and melty.

Repeat with remaining dough and topping.

Basic Pizza Dough:

1 package dry active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees F)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling dough
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus some additional for coating the bowl

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and warm water. Stir to dissolve the yeast and allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes.

Using a sieve or strainer, “sift” about half of the flour over the yeast mixture and blend until smooth with your hands. Add the salt, pepper and honey and mix to blend. Sift in the remaining flour and mix to blend.

Lightly flour a cutting board or flat surface. Turn the pizza dough onto the floured area and knead for 3 to 5 minutes. The flour should feel smooth and the ingredients fully integrated. Place the dough inside a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place, about 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume.

Press gently on the dough and turn it onto a floured surface. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, rolling each half into a loose ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for an additional 15 minutes. Flatten each ball, and roll into a 12 inch round. Place each round in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Adapted from: Alex Guarnaschelli