Coquilles St.-Jacques

• 8 T butter (divided)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups seafood stock or chicken stock (low-sodium)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
• 3 large shallots, peeled and diced, approximately 1 cup
• 12 oz cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems discarded, sliced (optional)
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (approximately 6 slices white bread, crusts removed, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor)
• up to 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
• 5 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
• up to 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• scallops, shrimp or mix of both plus some crayfish (as many as needed for 3 servings)
• Salt, pepper

Note: I have lowered the amount of salt, pepper and curry from the original recipe

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Set a saucepan over medium heat, and melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in it. When it foams, add the flour, and cook for approximately 4 minutes, whisking constantly. Add the stock, and whisk again, until it is smooth and thick. Add the cream, curry powder, 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring the sauce just to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Put 3 tablespoons butter in a large sauté pan set over medium heat. When it melts and foams, add the shallots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are clear and tender, approximately 5 minutes. If using, add the sliced mushroom caps, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until they have released their liquid and are just starting to brown. Add the brandy, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the alcohol has mostly evaporated. Add a 1/8 teaspoon of salt to the mixture and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and stir again to combine. Add mushroom/onion mixture to the cream sauce, and set aside.

Combine the bread crumbs, parsley and Gruyère in a large bowl, stir to combine, then moisten the mixture with the olive oil, stirring again to combine.

Use last tablespoon of butter to grease 6 1/2 -cup gratin dishes. Divide the seafood evenly among them and top with equal amounts of the cream sauce. Top each gratin dish with a handful or two of the bread-crumb mixture. Place dishes on a sheet tray, cover gently with foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to a day.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400. Remove cover from sheet tray, and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned and bubbling and the scallops are cooked through.

Recipe from Ina Garten

  

Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots

• 3 bunches carrots, peeled
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cut the carrots diagonally in 1- inch-thick slices. You should have about 5 cups of carrots.

Place 1/2 cup water, the butter, honey, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the ginger in a large saute pan and bring to a boil.

Add the carrots, cover the pan, and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue to cook for about 20 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated. You may want to raise the heat for the last 5 minutes.

Add the orange zest and orange juice to the pan, tossing with the carrots. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes, until the carrots are al dente (tender but still resistant when you bite) and the sauce glazes the carrots. Add the pepper and another teaspoon of salt, to taste.

Ina’s Note
This dish reheats beautifully. Undercook the carrots a bit and reheat them before serving. For a crowd, multiply the recipe and use a larger saute pan. The carrots may take a little longer to cook.

  

Rosemary Polenta

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups half and half
• 2 cups corn meal
• Parmesan cheese to taste

Heat butter and olive oil in 3 qt sauce pan over medium heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Saute for 1 minute.

Add chicken stock and half and half, bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and gradually add the corn meal to the mile wile stirring constantly with a whisk.  Continue stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until thick and bubbling. 

Remove from heat and add the parmesan cheese.

Half this recipe is more than enough.

Beef Stew (Pot Roast)

Marinate for 2 hours

• 2 1/2 lbs beef cubed
• Red wine
• Garlic
• 6 Bay Leaves

Cook Meat

Save marinade, toss meat in seasoned flour.  In a small amount of olive oil, saute meat until brown, don't cook until done.  Put meat in large pot.

Vegetables

Return pan to stove, add more oil, chop 2 onions, 2 potatoes, 3 carrots, cook 10 minutes or until starting to brown. Add garlic, saute a minute then add all to the pot.

Strain marinate

deglaze pan with 2 1/2 cups of wine, add to the pot.

Add the following to the pot:

• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 T Worcheshire
• 1 T salt
• 2 t pepper
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
• fresh roasmary

Cook 300 for 2 to 3 hours

Basic Scones

• 4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt (original recipe calls for 4)
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (optional)
• 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
• 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons optional

Ina's Scone recipe, slighly altered

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Add any additional flavorings to the dough (blueberries), and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Or just cut the dough into rough squares.

Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.

Or FREEZE them for later baking, just remove from freezer and bake as directed in this recipe.

Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash (optional), sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and drizzle over the scones.