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[Sex & Bacon] Moules
Mariniere
Servings:
4
Ingredients:
2 pound fresh mussels
2-3 small shallots, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups white wine
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Wash and beard the mussels (tear off the little clump of fibrous hair on the side of each mussel, using a paring knife for stubborn beards that won't pull off by hand). Discard all opened or damaged mussels.
Put the scrubbed live mussels in a big bowl with about 1-2 inches of water in the bottom of the bowl. Dampen a dish towel and use that to cover the bowl; place the bowl in the refrigerator.
Heat shallots and garlic in a lidded 6-quart stockpot or a large, lidded saucepan over medium heat. Do not brown shallots—put the lid on and let them sweat, shaking the pan frequently to prevent sticking, about 5 minutes, until the shallots are soft and translucent.
Add rosemary, thyme, dill, and black pepper and stir to distribute.
Pour in wine. Increase heat to medium-high until the wine mixture simmers, then reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes, uncovered.
Remove the covered bowl of mussels from the refrigerator.
Add the mussels to the simmering wine mixture in the stockpot or saucepan all at once. There should be enough wine mixture to provide a depth of 2 to 3 inches in the bottom of the pot, but it won't be enough to cover all the mussels in the pot.
Cover the stockpot or saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
With closed lid, shake the stockpot to distribute spices and shallots. Then remove the lid and check the mussels: if most of them are open, they're done. If most are still closed, put the covered stockpot back on the heat for 1 more minute. Do not overcook—some mussels will not open.
Once the mussels are done, remove them from the broth with a slotted spoon to a large bowl, and keep warm. Discard any closed mussels.
Add salt and pepper to broth, to taste.
Pour the broth into four bowls and divide mussels into four portions.
Serve the bowls of mussels in broth with crusty rosemary bread, if desired, and make sure to have an empty bowl available for shells.
Servings:
4
Ingredients:
2 pounds assorted chicken parts (wings, thighs, drumsticks, breasts)
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt, regular or seasoning
2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning (optional)
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce (optional)
1-2 cups vegetable shortening
Directions:
Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Add Cajun/Creole seasoning and hot sauce, if desired.
Dip each chicken piece in egg, and place the egg-covered chicken pieces into a large zip-top plastic bag (you may need to do this in shifts or use two bags).
Pour the flour mixture over the chicken in the zip-top bag, close, and shake bag vigorously.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough shortening to give a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch of melted shortening in the bottom of the pan.
Test shortening by flicking beads of water from your fingertips at it. If the water droplets sizzle, the shortening is hot enough to fry. Or, place a 1-inch cube of bread in the pan. If the bread browns in 1 minute, the shortening is at the correct temperature.
Reduce heat to medium and carefully place chicken pieces in the skillet, being careful not to crowd them (you will need to cook them in batches).
Fry chicken, turning frequently, about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and juices run clear. Breasts or very meaty thighs may take longer.
[Sex & Bacon]
Fancy Marinara Sauce
Servings:
6
Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms (any sort—crimini are good), cleaned and sliced
1/2 pound assorted ground meat (turkey, veal, beef)
1/2 pound loose Italian pork sausage
1 cup red wine
4 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes (with juice), or diced tomatoes (with juice)—any combination is fine
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 small package frozen cut spinach (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Sauté until onion is soft and translucent.
Add mushrooms and more olive oil, as needed. Sauté until mushrooms are soft.
Add meat and sausage, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Brown meat. (Don't worry if it's still pink on the inside—the meat will continue to cook in the sauce.)
Add contents of skillet to large stockpot.
Add wine to skillet and allow to simmer 3 minutes. Stir frequently and use your wooden spoon to scrape all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan into the wine. Add wine/browned bits mixture to stockpot.
Add tomato sauce to stockpot and heat on medium-high, stirring frequently.
Add remainder of ingredients.
Once sauce boils, reduce heat to very low and allow stockpot to simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours, stirring infrequently. Taste infrequently, adjusting seasonings as desired.
If your sauce becomes too thick, add more red wine.
About 30 minutes before serving, add frozen spinach, if desired. Heat through, stirring to distribute spinach throughout sauce.
Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Serve over hot cooked pasta.
[Sex & Bacon] Faux
Chocolate Truffles
Yield:
approximately 12 truffles, depending on size
Ingredients:
2 bags chocolate chip morsels (dark, milk, peanut butter, white—your choice)
2-3 tablespoons whipping cream (also called heavy cream)
any kind of liqueur (optional)
Cooking spray (optional)
Directions:
In a medium-sized double-boiler (or in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water), melt 1 bag of chocolate chips. Stir with a clean, dry, metal spoon until thoroughly melted.
Temper the melted chocolate by stirring it for 2 minutes. It should appear dark and glossy. Remove stirred chocolate from heat.
Slowly, stir in whipping cream until the chocolate and cream form a fluffy nougat.
Add a few drops of your favorite liqueur, if desired.
Mix thoroughly and refrigerate, uncovered, for four hours.
Once truffle mixture has cooled, remove from refrigerator and form them into hazelnut-sized balls. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and refrigerate again.
Heat the second package of morsels the same way as the first, and stir until thoroughly combined and glossy.
Remove melted morsels from heat.
Use two forks to dip each refrigerated truffle ball in warm chocolate, then place dipped chocolates on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper (or sprayed lightly with cooking spray). Refrigerate until chocolate coating is firm.
Store in covered container in the refrigerator.
Servings:
2
Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
dash salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk or cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
For frying:
2-3 tablespoons butter
Directions:
Blend cornmeal, sugar, and dash salt in medium bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over the cornmeal mixture, cover with a heatproof plate, and set aside for 10 minutes.
In small bowl, blend flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In small bowl, blend egg, milk, and butter. Add to cornmeal mixture and mix well.
Add flour mixture to cornmeal mixture and blend with very few strokes, until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
Heat a skillet on medium until water droplets flicked from your fingertip sizzle in the pan. Add 1 tablespoon butter for frying, then ladle pancake-sized circles of batter into skillet.
Allow corn cakes to fry until the tops are covered in air bubbles.
Use a heat-safe spatula to turn the corn cakes, and fry til golden brown.
Add more butter for every new batch of corn cakes.
Serve with butter and preserves, or with fresh berries and whipped cream.
Serves:
1
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen berries
1 cup plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons wheat bran
Directions:
Place all ingredients into blender, and process til smooth.
[Sex & Bacon]
Basic Tuna Noodle Casserole
Servings:
6
Ingredients:
1 package pasta, any shape
2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
2 cans tuna
1 small bag frozen peas
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking spray
Directions:
Boil and drain pasta according to the directions on the package.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In large mixing bowl, mix Cream of Mushroom soup, milk, tuna, peas, and nutmeg.
Add pasta and mix.
Turn mixture into a cooking-spray-coated 9x12inch baking pan, and top with Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees until the cheese is golden brown and the casserole is heated through.
Serves:
6
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen berries
Vegetable shortening to grease
pan
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 9x9-inch baking pan with vegetable shortening.
Mix 1 cup sugar, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, toss berries with 1/4 cup sugar until evenly coated. Set aside.
In a small bowl, blend butter and milk.
Add milk mixture to flour mixture and blend with very few strokes, until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
Turn batter into greased pan and drop the berries over the batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until top of the cobbler is golden. Cool for fifteen minutes on a wire rack.
Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
[Sex & Bacon]
Spicy Pumpkin Bisque
Serves:
1
Ingredients:
2-3 shallots
1 tablespoon butter
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken stock
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup whipping cream (also called heavy cream)
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
(optional)
Directions:
Sauté shallots in butter in a stockpot or large saucepan over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant and soft.
Add stock, pumpkin, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Allow the mixture to boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove pumpkin mixture from heat and refrigerate until cool.
Once cool, and working in batches, process the pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Return the puréed pumpkin mixture to the stockpot and heat to simmering.
Add whipping cream, sherry, and nutmeg. Stir to blend, and heat through.
Garnish with bacon bits or dust with nutmeg before serving, if desired.
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