Home Canned Corn Relish

Here's a delicious way to save summer's bounty to enjoy throughout the off season. The crunch of the corn, onion and celery in a flavorful, syrupy sauce. It's wonderful served cold on hot dogs, hamburgers and kielbasa or served warm on broiled salmon, or just served as a side condiment with almost anything.

5 Cups corn kernels
2 1/2 cups minced onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup diced celery
1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 - 4 Tablespoons corn starch
makes aprox 7 - 8oz jars

Canning tools
Several canning jars with corresponding lids and ring bands
Lid lifter
Jar lifter
Canning Funnel
Large skillet
2 Large pots

Use your sharpest knife to cut the kernels from the cob - you want to 'cut' the kernels cleanly not 'pop' the kernels with a dull knife. Mince the onion and celery so the pieces end up the size of the corn kernels. Hold the ear of corn stem side down, cut in one slice, from the tip to stem, as close to the cob as possible, turn the ear slightly and slice again. I use a plastic tray with sides, while cutting the kernels, as the kernels fall they won't bounce all over. Some people put down a tea towel to catch the kernels. Another method is to invert a small bowl inside a larger bowl, place the stem down on the bottom of the inverted smaller bowl as you slice.

One Large ear of yellow sweet corn can yield one cup of cut kernels. For this recipe I prefer the yellow corn to white.

Canning the mixture
I use 3 burners on the stove - you need your largest pot to be deep enough to cover your canning jars with an inch of water. Bring to a slow boil, enough water to cover your jars - leaving enough space to accommodate several jars without overflowing the pot - must be at least 180 degrees. Use a large skillet with 2" of water - place your empty jars in the water leaving room for a stack of jar lids, keep this water hot but not boiling, you're sterilizing the jars and softening the compound on the jar lids.
Place everything but the corn starch in another large pot. Bring to a boil - stirring often. When it starts to boil place 3 tablespoons of corn starch in a drinking glass and add enough water to stir into a paste, the add enough additional water to make it thin enough to pour. As you slowly pour your corn starch slurry into the corn mixture stir it in quickly or it could get lumpy. It will reach it's maximum thickness at a boil - if you like it thicker add a tablespoon of corn starch slurry at a time - being sure to wait until it boils.
Once the mixture has been brought to a boil for several minutes and reached the desired thickness, you're ready to place the mixture in the jars.

Canning your Corn Relish
Using your jar lifter, grab a hot jar from the skillet - place the jar close to the relish pot, put the canning funnel into the jar, use a ladle to put the mixture in the jar - leaving 1/2" 'head space' space at the top edge of the jar. Remove the canning funnel and place aside. Using a paper towel dipped in hot water, wipe off the lip of the jar, use the lid lifter to remove a jar lid from the hot water in the skillet, and place it on the jar, screw the Ring Band on just finger tight.
Set full jar aside and fill several. Once you've filled 5 or 6 jars using the jar lifter, gently place the jars in the pot of boiling water. the heat of the boiling water covering the jars forces air out (that's why you don't crank down the ring band) let them boil for 10 min then remove them in the order you put them in the pot. If you have a metal or stone counter top, placing hot jars on a cold counter can cause the jars to break. Place the jars on a towel or cutting board etc. Leave the jars undisturbed over night. As the jars cool, a vacuum forms, pulling the domed center of the lid downward - sealing the jar. The ring band is no longer necessary until the jar is opened.

For Taste Sake
This recipe can be doubled and tripled - I make triple batches all the time - just be sure to triple (or double) ALL of the ingredients - writing it down helps.

Canned goods should be kept in a cool dark place - the vacuum keeps it fresh, the vinegar keeps bacteria from growing - it's basically like pickles. Canned goods are typically good for up to two years.

Other spices that can be added or substituted:
2 teaspoons tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne peppeer
3/4 cup red bell pepper
substitute Dark Brown Sugar for the Light Brown sugar. 

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Fred McMuffin

Fred McMuffin with chicken.

The Fred McMuffin should NEVER be confused with the breakfast sandwich that that Clown makes!
A healthy delicious breakfast to go in less time than it would take to drive to your nearest fast food stop.
These can also be made ahead of time and frozen - they reheat in a microwave well.
When there's no time for a relaxing weekend breakfast - this is our go-to breakfast meal.

Ingredients
1 fresh egg per sandwich or an equivalent of egg substitute
salt and pepper to taste
any leftover meat or lunch meat - vegetables make a great substitute

non-stick spray
I like to add some chopped green onion
English Muffin, Bagle or Skinny Bun

Place the English muffin in the toaster
Start with a small bowl, spray the inside with non-stick spray.
Crack the egg into the bowl, salt & pepper - use a fork to scramble the egg.
Add chopped onion and meat to the egg mixture - pressing it into the scrambled egg.
Microwaves vary in power so you'll have to adjust to yours I set mine for 1min 20 seconds to 1min 40 seconds depending on how much meat and the temperature of the meat. If it's not done, raw egg tends to work it's way to the top, you'll see it, just microwave for another 10-20 seconds.

When done - it's gonna be hot - If it's going to be several minutes before eating, I'll put it immediately in the English Muffin, wrap in a paper towel, flip it over so that the weight of the sandwich holds the ends of the paper towel from unwrapping. Otherwise I'll flip the cooked egg mixture out on the cutting board to cool off a bit before placing it in the muffin, and eating.
You can prepare several sandwiches in a matter of minutes. Spray the bowl with non-stick spray before each sandwich. The cooked egg mixture can be placed in plastic wrap or sandwich bags for freezing.

For Taste Sake

A squirt of hot sauce can be added to the mixture if you like a little spice.
Chicken or Turkey goes very well with egg
Leftover meat is oftem easier to work with if it's been warmed up a bit in a microwave.
When seasoning, take into account the meat - has it been seasoned already or could it use a little more and also the bread - I tend to add a little bit extra salt & pepper than normal so I can taste it past the muffin.

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Breakfast Scramble

Chicken Breakfast Scramble served with English Muffins

This is a trick that I pull out of my hat from time to time. Sometimes in desperation (there's no Bacon, sausage or ham in the house for breakfast, or there's not enough eggs to go around) and sometimes as a treat - ohh there's that leftover prime rib or corned beef! Typically this is a breakfast dish, but it's a strong candidate as "Breakfast for Dinner'
This is typically a one pan dish, it's very flexible with what you can put in it. The basic ingredients are potatoes, onion, meat and eggs - of course vegetarians can substitute vegetables for the meat.
1 Large potato per 2 people (cubed)
1 or 2 eggs per person
maybe some mushrooms
Vegetable oil
any leftover meat and even seafood (cubed)

Chopped Chicken, Cubed Potatoes, Green Onion

The potatoes can make or break the whole dish. They must be thoroughly cooked, very few people enjoy a raw potato. The first key to cooking the potatoes is cutting them into uniform size, this ensures they will cook through at the same time. It's all a matter of preference how thick you cut the potatoes - that's how you make this recipe yours - just do it uniformly. For your first cut a 'stabilizer' cut. Slice a small piece off of the long side of the potato, then place the exposed portion of the potato down on the gutting board, this will keep the potato from rocking around as you slice it. Next cut the potatoes in 1/2" or what ever width you prefer, slices. Now stack 2 or three slices on top of each other and cut the rounds into strips (french fries) the same width as the first slices (ie. 1/2"). Next turn those strips crosswise on the cutting board and cut the strips into cubes - again paying attention the the width (1/2"). There's bound to be 'ends' that are not uniform - if their size is significantly smaller than the rest of the cubes (ie. 60% or smaller), either discard them or set them aside to be added later. The small ends will cook that much faster than the others and by time the large pieces are done - the small pieces are burnt. The only thing worse than raw potatoes, are burnt potatoes.

Browned Potatoes

If you're not using a non-stick pan, a helpful tip is to allow the potatoes to approach room temperature and add them to hot oil. Allow the potatoes to brown on a side before turning, be sure to turn all the potatoes so some of the don't burn. If you're adding minced round onion (brown, red, yellow, white) you can add it about 1/2 way through the potato cooking - if you're using chopped green onion - wait for now. Mushrooms can be added now.

Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the meat - you're basically just reheating the meat, if  you're adding green onion, now is the time.

Potatoes, Chicken, Green Onion - ready for the eggs!

Now it's time for the eggs! If you're confident with your egg cracking ability - you can crack them directly into the scramble. If you're not so confident, break them into a bowl, making sure there's no shell fragments then you can use a fork or a wisk to scramble them or pour them directly into the pan and the eggs will scramble as you stir/turn the mixture.

When the eggs are to your desired doneness salt and pepper to taste - serve and enjoy!



For Taste Sake.

It's easier to remove chicken from the bone if you microwave it for a minute or so before removing the meat from the bone.

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Homemade Corned Beef Hash

Homemade Corned Beef Hash

If you like Corned Beef Hash from a can, or what they serve in a restaurant (which is probably from a can) then You'll LOVE fresh homemade Corned Beef Hash.


Ingredients
Leftover Corned Beef cubed
Potatoes the amount depends on your preference I like a 50/50 mix or even a 60/40 of Corned beef to potato ratio.
Green onion about 1/4 cup sliced (including the green portion)


The potatoes can make or break the dish

Potatoes being browned for Homemade Corned Beef Hash

The potatoes must be thoroughly cooked, very few people enjoy a raw potato. The first key to cooking the potatoes is cutting them into uniform size, this ensures they will cook through at the same time. It's all a matter of preference how thick you cut the potatoes - that's how you make this recipe yours - just do it uniformly. Make your first cut a 'stabilizer' cut. Slice a small piece off of the long side of the potato, then place the exposed portion of the potato down on the gutting board, this will keep the potato from rocking around as you slice it. Next cut the potatoes in 1/2" or what ever width you prefer, slices. Now stack 2 or three slices on top of each other and cut the rounds into strips (french fries) the same width as the first slices (ie. 1/2"). Next turn those strips crosswise on the cutting board and cut the strips into cubes - again paying attention the the width (1/2"). There's bound to be 'ends' that are not uniform - if their size is significantly smaller than the rest of the cubes (ie. 60% or smaller), either discard them or set them aside to be added later. The small ends will cook that much faster than the others and by time the large pieces are done - the small pieces are burnt. The only thing worse than raw potatoes, are burnt potatoes.

In a large skillet, put enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom with a bit of extra - enough to give you a puddle. Set the heat to medium high and wait till it comes up to temperature - you should be able to put your hand over the oil and feel the heat coming off of it. I wet a finger from the sink faucet and flick a small amount of water into the oil - it'll snap and dance. Use caution when doing that. Now dump all your cubed potatoes into the hot oil. It's best if you try to spread them as evenly as possible. This is a trick part - the starch in the potatoes tend to stick, use a good spatula and stir/turn over the potatoes using a scraping motion to the bottom of the pan. Give the potatoes a bit of rest in between each stir/turn over. When the potatoes start getting crispy - taste test them to be sure they are cooked all the way through.

Homemade Corned Beef Hash with two eggs over easy

Add your corned beef to the skillet, and stir into the potatoes. The potatoes shouldn't be as sticky now and the corned beef should mix in easily. Once the corned beef starts to get crispy, add the green onion and finish cooking the hash to your preference of crispness. I like to serve Corned Beef Hash with eggs over easy. Either beside the hash or right on top of the hash.

Salmon Hash

For Taste Sake
Hash can be made from just about anything - my second choice is canned corned beef, roast beef, pork, ham. I've even made Salmon Hash that was wonderful. If you don't have any leftover pre-cooked meat then cook what ever raw meat you have on hand, once it's cooked, then proceed with the recipe.

Some tips to reduce the sticking of the potatoes: Room temperature potatoes will stick less. A cast Iron skillet is nice because the thickness of the cast iron holds it's heat better than other pans - adding the potatoes to hot oil lowers the cooking temperature of the oil which makes them stick.

If you're just coming off of St. Patrick's Day - and have left over potatoes - they are perfectly fine to use. Cube them up and add them to the hot oil, they're already cooked through, so you just cook them till they're visually done.

Corned Beef with Pan fried Cabbage, Carrots and Onion

Corned Beef is the Ultimate 'Crock Pot' meat. You can put the Corned Beef in the crock pot before leaving the house in the morning and return home after a long day at work and it will be ready to enjoy!

Corned Beef is a cured meat. The cure is typically a heavily salted brine commonly containing Potassium  nitrate which preserves the pink color. The cut of beef is often brisket or round steak, both considered tough cuts, the  brining process tenderizes and preserves the meat.


Traditionally the meat is boiled - a common method is to boil it in water for 50 minutes per pound. Boiling the meat tends to reduce the salt taste in the meat. Other variations involve boiling it in beer, apple juice, or pineapple juice. The 'juice' contained in the package is part of the flavoring and goes in the pot. There's also a small spice packet in the package - open it and sprinkle the spices over the meat. Some people boil the meat then finish it off on a BBQ, adding a smokey dimension to the meat.

The Vegetables
Cabbage, potatoes, and carrots are another part of the traditional meal. Often they are cooked in the same pot as the meat. Since the cook time is rather long for these vegetables they are left in large chunks. Potatoes and carrots can be left whole, carrots should be pealed and have the tops cut off, potatoes may have the skin on or off. Cabbage it commonly cut into four large chunks.

Crock Pot Method
I prefer to put the meat, juice and spices in a crock pot, with enough apple juice to halfway cover the meat. Set the crock pot on low and cover. The apple juice adds a bit of sweetness as well as take out some of the saltiness. It's pretty hard to over cook a corned beef. I recently had a 4 pound corned beef in the crock pot from 7:00am till 6:00pm - that's 11 hours and it was wonderful!

Boiled Red Potatoes
I prefer my vegetables cooked separately. I prefer the small red potatoes boiled in heavily salted water. Once they are fork tender throughout. I drain them in a colander, placing the hot pot back on the stove and using the residual heat to melt some butter and sprinkling in some chopped fresh rosemary and chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley. The larger potatoes I'll cut in half or quarters, smaller ones I leave whole. Once the butter is melted and the herbs have had a chance to get heated, add the potatoes to the pot and stir.


Pan Fried Cabbage and Carrots

I prefer the cabbage, carrots stir fried with some onion. Peal the leaves off the cabbage head and stack them on a cutting board. Using a large chef's knife, thinly shred the cabbage. Thinly slice the carrots, using a knife, vegetable peeler or small mandolin (theTitan Peeler works great!)
. Mince about half a cup of onion. In a large skillet over medium high heat, coat the bottom of the pan with a half cooking oil and half butter mixture, add a pinch of caraway seed, celery seed, and some fresh ground black pepper. Put he onions in first when they are translucent, add the carrots - if the carrots are on the thick side, let them cook a bit before adding the cabbage, otherwise add the shredded cabbage at the same time. Stir fry to the desired doneness. Some people like their vegetables heated through but still crunchy, some like them with a bit of scorch on them. Set the vegetables aside, while you carve the meat.

Carving the meat

Gently lift the meat out of the pot, using a sturdy spatula or straining spoon, and place on the cutting board. Using the spatula or spoon, gently scrape and peel off the layer of fat and discard. Once the fat layer is removed it's easy to see the 'grain' of the meat. Any and all meat should be carved across or against the grain this will yield short fibers and a tender slice. OK the the meat has been tenderized by brining and has now had the daylights boiled out of it so it's tender but do you really want to serve a chunk of stringy meat? So get out your carving fork and your longest, sharpest knife. Position the cutting board and the meat so that you can comfortably draw the knife across the grain of the meat. The REAL trick here is to put the fork at the side of (not in) the meat closest to you, placing the tine of the fork the width of one slice of meat inward from the edge. Place the knife as far as comfortably forward as possible, then draw the knife back towards you, using the tine of the fork as a guide, bull the knife directly against the tine of the fork. ALWAYS draw the knife towards you and against the fork tine, using a sawing, back and forth cutting action will guarantee you an unrecognizable pile of meat strands.

For Taste Sake
Over all corned beef with the fat layer removed is a rather low calorie source of protein. More calories can be saved by substituting broth in the skillet, instead of the half and half oil and butter mixture, steaming the vegetables instead of frying.

I think one of the greatest joys of eating corned beef is that it goes so well with mustard so we break out the mustard collection - coarse ground, Dijon, Wasabi , Hot Chinese.

The cabbage, carrots, and onions can be cut up the night before, stored in the refrigerator in plastic bags to make the preparation that much easier, the following day.

I love a good corned beef dinner but truth be told, I would cook corned beef simply for the leftovers - a Ruben Sandwich is one of my favorites but you haven't lived till you've had freshly made corned beef hash!
 I promise to make that my next recipe.

Salmon Cakes / Salmon Patties

This is one of the recipes I turn to when we've forgotten to thaw something for dinner. They're quick and easy to make, delicious, make a tasty main dish or appetizer and can be served with a variety of sauces to add variety.
I make sure there's always a few cans of salmon in the house, by buying several when they go on sale.

1 Can (aprox 15oz.) Salmon
1 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs
1 egg
3 or 4 heaping tablespoons of Italian (flat leaf) Parsley (use 1/2 that if using dried herbs)
1 Jalapeno Pepper - minced
1 Med Shallot - roughly minced
1 Tbsp Horseradish
1 Tbsp Mustard


Drain the salmon, and place in a bowl - some people remove the bones (if any) They are completely edible - I like to remove them and eat them my self. Flake (break up into small pieces) the salmon, add the remaining ingredients. Fold the ingredients together - mix them together thoroughly but don't stir so completely it's unrecognizable mush - you want to preserve  some of the chunks etc.
Generously coat the bottom of a large skillet with cooking oil and bring to temperature over a medium heat. I wet my finger slightly in the sink and flick it into the oil to see if it crackles - use CAUTION!
Take a heaping tablespoon of mix into your hands and  form a patty - go around the outer edge with your finger pressing the edge inward to try and make the patty as uniformly thick as possible - thin edges will cook quicker than the remainder of the patty and could burn before the patty is thoroughly cooked.
Place the patties in the pan in an orderly manner so that as they brown, you can determine what order they are browning in. Flip them over and brown on the other side. A small offset spatula is VERY handy for turning the patties. Remove to a folded paper towel to drain the oil.

Makes 8 to 12 - 3" patties makes great finger food and reheats well.

Serve with a variety of sauces - Tartar Sauce, Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, Ranch Dressing, and flavored mustards etc.

For Taste Sake
Top them with my Hot Crab Dip or Hot Crab & Shrimp Dip
Green onion can be substituted for Shallot
If you don't like the heat of a Jalapeno pepper - cut it open and remove the seeds & veins - then you'll still have the flavor but not the heat - slice into small strips then mince the strips int 1/8 - 1/16" cubes
Experiment with different mustards - rustic seed mustard is my favorite, but an Orange or Lemon mustard is a great addition.

Fred's Famous BAM Chicken

BAM Chicken Thigh

This is one of my signature dishes, and a family favorite. It's delicious, with crispy skin, moist tender meat and it's very easy to make. We never tire of this treat.

First start with the BAM mix:
1 Part Paprika
1 Part Garlic Powder
1 Part Salt
1 Part Brown Sugar
For example 1/4 cup of each ingredient will give you 1 Cup of BAM mix.
Mix thoroughly, and store in a container - preferably one with a shaker top.

Next is the chicken - If you know how to debone a chicken - that's the first choice  (I'm putting the finishing touches on my video on how to debone a chicken and hope to post it soon). Second choice are thighs. You can use any parts you prefer or bake the chicken whole - I prefer those stand-up chicken rack for roasting the whole chicken.

Whole deboned BAM Chicken

Coat the chicken thoroughly with BAM mix. Line a cookie sheet that has sides, with aluminum foil. Place the coated chicken pieces, evenly spaced on the foil. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 45 minutes.
The grease captured in the foil is perfect for making gravy.

For roasting the whole chicken - if you're using one of the stand up roasting racks (they allow all of the skin to get crispy) I remove one of the oven racks or put them all on the lowest part of the oven, making room for the stand-up chicken rack. I take a cast iron skillet and place the rack inside the skillet along with about 1/2 a cup of water - so that the grease doesn't burn if it overflows. Bake at 350, if we baked at 400, there's the possibility of burning the outside of the chicken before the inside is finished cooking. We lower the cooking temperature and increase the amount of time. The amount of time will be dependent on the size of the chicken, I would allow 1 1/2 to 2 hrs.  You should use a meat thermometer to check the temperature - stick the probe as deep as you can on the inside of the thigh, between the body and the thigh. The meat should reach a temperature of 165 degrees (check it in several places in that area - the LAST thing you want is under cooked chicken!)

For Taste Sake
For a different flavor variation - try making the spice mix with Smoked Paprika
I prefer using Kosher salt with big flakes instead of the standard, fine grained table salt.

Grumpypasto - Antipasto

Tired of the same old dips and appetizers? Try this hearty antipasto.

Grumpypasto with anchovy wrapped capers

This antipasto got it's name from my brother in-law's father, who was known by friends and family by the nickname 'Grumpy'. He was known for his cooking skill - this is his recipe, which is a family favorite. We lost Grumpy in 2008 but his memory lives on. I've kept the original recipe intact, just rearranged the list of ingredients to reflect the order of use - I've added my notes at the end. Enjoy!

1/8 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Carrot, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch
1/2 medium onion, rough chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1/4 head Cauliflower Broken into small pieces
5 raw mushrooms, sliced into 4 pieces
1 small garlic clove, crushed and minced
6oz Chili Sauce (Del Monte/ Huntz)
1 tsp. salt
1tsp. Accent
1 (6oz) can solid pack white albacore tuna
3 oz marinated artichoke hearts and juice
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
12 Black olives, sliced in half
10 Green Olives, sliced in half (Spanish Style)
Capers and/or anchovies (few, optional)
7 oz ketchup



Put oil in 3 quart microwavable pot, add sliced carrots, stir; cover and cook on HIGH heat for 3 minutes.
Add chopped onions and celery, stir; cover and cook on HIGH heat for 2 minutes.
Add cauliflower, stir; cover and cook on HIGH heat for 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms, stir; cover and cook on HIGH heat for 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, add ketchup, chili sauce, lemon juice, salt, Accent, and garlic, and mix well.
Add cooked vegetables, Mix; add well drained tuna, broken into pieces, olives, artichoke hearts (with juice), cocktail onions, and carefully mix again.
Can be eaten immediately but reaches full flavor after being refrigerated 1 to 2 days or more.

For Taste Sale
Being a Mediterranean dish - consider adding 2 or 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped Flat Leaf (Italian) Parsley.
Another Mediterranean addition - Feta cheese.
He mentions adding anchovies and/or capers - I found canned, anchovy wrapped capers. They are WONDERFUL - I place them on top of the mix after I've put it in the serving bowl.
A sign of our times - he calls for a 6oz can of solid Albacore tuna - all I could find in the store these days are 5oz cans - it's up to you weather to go with 5oz or buy a second can and use 1/5 of it in the recipe.
I don't add the Accent
Serve with a sturdy cracker, sliced toasted chunks of bread.

Steamed Italian Lima Beans and Peas

This is a simple yet tasty recipe that can be made in 5 minutes. A great side dish for incorporating a variety of vegetables into your diet. This recipe is very flexible, increasing it's size would only increase the cooking time slightly, change the proportions (ex. 60% peas/ 40% Lima Beans) vary the onion (Green Onion, Shallots, Leaks).

1 cup frozen Baby Lima Beans
1 cup frozen Peas
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dried Italian Herb mix
1/2 Medium Onion rough chopped, separate the layers
Salt & Pepper

Place your steamer basket in a medium pot and add water to just below the basket bottom. place Peas, Lima Beans and onion in the basket, cover and boil for approximately 5 minutes. Onion should be translucent, taste a Lima Bean to make sure it's warm enough to eat. Once vegetables are done, remove basket and place vegetables in a bowl. Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the vegetables, add  salt, pepper and dried Italian Herbs to taste, mix well and serve.

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sprouts - the mere mention of which can send people screaming off into the night!
I believe this stems from a bad childhood experience. When I was a child I was told

they were baby cabbages. Now what kid wouldn't enjoy eating kid sized cabbages?
If you're not a fan of Brussel Sprouts - approach this recipe with an open mind - it took me three years before I could convince my wife to let me bring them into the house and now this recipe is one of her favorite vegetable recipes! If you like Brussel Sprouts, here's a twist on most traditional methods of preparing them.

Fresh Brussel Sprouts - depending on size about 6 per person
1 Medium Shallot, pealed & minced
1/2 Carrot pealed and shredded
2-3 Tablespoons or more of Chopped Italian (flat leaf) Parsley
1/4 - 1/2 cup of chicken Broth
Butter & Olive Oil to generously cover the bottom of the pan.
Salt & pepper to taste - typically you don't need additional seasoning.

Start by 'cleaning the brussel sprouts - cut the stem end a bit shorter and remove the loose leaves, resulting from the cut and removing any discolored leaves.
Cut the brussel sprout in half lengthwise through the stem - aim for cutting one of the attached leaves in half through it's stem, accuracy isn't important but it helps keep the leaves intact through the cooking process,

In a large shallow fry pan, have enough Olive Oil & Butter (50/50 mix) to generously coat the bottom of the pan, medium-high heat. Once the Oil and Butter mixture is hot, place the 1/2 sprouts cut side down in the pan. A good method is to place them in a circle starting at the outer edge of the pan and work your way towards the center. This helps you keep track of how long the halves have been in the pan. When the sprout's cut side becomes browned, flip them over. They should brown in the approximate order that you placed them in the pan.

When all of the halves have been flipped over, add the rest of the ingredients (Parsley, Shallot, Carrot, and Chicken Broth) place the lid on the pan and let them cook until tender.
Enjoy!

For Taste Sake
A julienne peeler is a handy tool to shred the carrot, if you don't have one, you can use a conventional vegetable peeler. Use the peeler to produce long thin strips. Lay the strips on top of each other, cut the strips in half lengthwise then cut those halves lengthwise into as many strips as you can.

Chicken Broth can be replaced with a Chicken Bouillon and water mixture.

If you're not familiar with shallot, it's in the onion family, they are a small member of the onion family with a nutty flavor. Shallots are a bit more expensive than an onion. Onion can be substituted but the flavor will be a bit different.

I've tried to keep this recipe healthy. My brother in-law takes my recipe and puts a cube of butter in - how could you go wrong?

Better Than Garlic Bread

Better than Garlic Bread. There's just SOME meals I have to have a good bread with - such as seafood. I used to reach for Garlic Bread on those occasions - homemade or store bought it was all good...... UNTIL I discovered this way of preparing, serving bread. Almost any bread will do but for the best results, pick a rustic artisan bread, one with small holes works best, my favorite is Puglasese made at a grocery store that we frequent. Next you want the very best Extra Virgin Olive Oil that you can find, a specialty salt like Pink Salt or Grey Salt, and a pealed clove of garlic.

Cut the bread in half lengthwise.


Toast the bread thoroughly (either in an oven, toaster oven or on a BBQ grill) I think toasted on a BBQ grill with grill marks is the most impressive with a little added kick of smoky flavor but it does require some extra skill to keep from burning the bread.

As soon as the bread is well toasted, take the garlic clove an rub it all over the exposed toasted inside of the bread. The toasted bread acts as sandpaper and the garlic will rub off onto the bread. Take special note of your and your guest's taste for garlic - don't over do it.

Next use a Silicone Brush to spread the Extra Virgin Olive Oil generously over the exposed toasted inside of the bread.

Sprinkle a pinch of Pink Salt or Grey Saltover the bread, slice and serve.





For Taste Sake
Pink Salt and Grey Salt aren't as salty as table salt - they have a 'mineral' taste to them - enhancing the flavor.

When you slice the bread in half, lengthwise, pay close attention to the edges of the bread, especially if you're going to grill it. Often times the bottom half is well proportioned but the top half's edge may be quite thin and subject to burning - it's a good practice to trim the thin edges back before toasting.

A Silicone Brush is best at spreading the Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the bread - the silicone will not leave any bristles on your food, will withstand high cooking temperatures, and cleans easily because the bristles will not absorb food.