Sausage and Shrimp Stew

The latest creation from my February is for fish series.  This is the first time I have ever eaten shrimp and wanted more!!  Just enough spice and warmth to make the chill of a winter night melt away.

By Ted Slee

Prep Time:  10 – 15mins

Cook Time:  40 min

Serves:  4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

12 ounces sweet Italian Sausage (casings removed)

2 tsp smoked paprika

4 tsp crushed red pepper

Kosher salt

1 – 28 ounce can whole plum tomatoes (chopped, plus juice from can)

4 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 lb red potatoes cut in bite sized pieces

1 bunch red kale (stems removed & leaves roughly chopped)

5 leaves of cabbage (stems removed & leaves roughly chopped)

1 lb medium shrimp (peeled & de-veined)

Prep:

Mix sausage with garlic and red pepper flake using your hands in a bowl and loosely form inch chunks and add to the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes. Add the paprika and 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the oil turns deep red, about 1 minute. Then add the chopped tomatoes (save the juice), bay leaves, thyme and oregano and mix for about 1 minute.  Now mix in the potatoes, the tomato juice and 2 cups of room temperature water. Bring to a boil before reducing to a simmer and cover until the potatoes are almost tender for about 15 minutes. Add the kale & cabbage cooking until the potatoes are tender about 10 more minutes. When you have reached this point turn the heat off and gently add the shrimp mixing until they are submerged curl and turn pink about 3 minutes. Serve while hot with a good piece of bread.

Awesome Tuna Melt

By Ted Slee

Serves:  Four

Prep time: 45 mins

Cook time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients

1 lb fresh Tuna Steak

2 lemons

8 oz Broccoli Cole Slaw Mix

4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Clove of Garlic Minced

1 Tsp Mustard Powder

St Andre Cheese (or any creme brie)

4 large slices of crusty artisan bread

Salt

Pepper

Prep

Gently with a sharp knife cut the tuna into cubes of about ½”.  Add the tuna, zest and juice of one lemon in a bowl and let rest at room temp for 30 mins.  Mix 2 tbsp of oil, mustard powder and the juice and zest of the second lemon in a bowl with the broccoli cole slaw and let rest.  Once the tuna has been sitting for 30 mins add it to a hot non-stick pan with the remaining oil and garlic.  Cook for a minute or two on high constantly mixing until the fish has just a little color.  Lay the bread out on a cookie sheet and distribute the fish evenly.  Add some of the broccoli slaw on top and cover with the cheese.  Broil just long enough to melt cheese about 2-4 minutes.  Enjoy!

February Kickoff

So, here is the kickoff to February is for Fish… Or, atleast it is for me.  I should probably explain why I am taking this culinary journey.  In my 34 years of life, I have eaten fish about 4 times and never really liked the texture or flavor.  Its sort of like what broccoli and brussel sprouts were to most of as a kid, just weird adult food that would never cross our lips.  So my plan on the first of February is to try to cook a traditional fish recipe and then try to make my own version with ingredients that make me want to eat it. 

I decided to start with one of the most simple things I could think of, a Tuna Melt.

I have created the standard Tuna Melt that I have seen in most restaurants to place side by side with my new creation.  Take a look at the pictures and then try the simple recipe and let me know what you think!!

February is for Fish....

Get excited folks!!! February is going to be a month of new beginnings for me as a cook and a person. I will be pushing my limits and learning to cook fish! I know that sounds weird to some of you, but I have only cooked fish once and it was in a cooking competition... So, come along for the ride!!!

The Perfect Winter Treat

Here is a winter treat that will warm the soul and the body on a cold day.  This soup was part of a winning entry for a friendly cooking competition and this grilled cheese is a family favorite.  I am really a fan of this rustic sour dough I get a local bakery, but any rustic loaf will work.  Enjoy!

Curried Butternut Squash & Mango Soup

By Ted Slee

Servings: 8-10

Prep: 10-15 mins

Cooking: 30 mins

Ingredients

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized butternut squash (peeled, seeded & cubed)
1 large yellow onion (chopped)
2 green mangos (peeled, seeded and chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
2 inches of ginger (grated)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tsp red curry paste

½ tsp yellow curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or harissa paste)
1 can coconut milk (well shaken)
1 can water (or more to cover all ingredients

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Prep

Heat the olive oil in a medium stock pot over medium heat until oil is shimmering.  Add the onion and saute until translucent.  Stir as you add the garlic and ginger until fragrant, about a minute.  At this point add the butternut squash, carrot, mango and and gently stir until contents are coated with oil.  After about a minute add the red curry paste, yellow curry, cumin, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric and red pepper flakes.  Continue to occasionally stir until spices are mixed.  Add the coconut milk and water, cover and bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat and simmer for roughly 30 minutes.  Let soup cool for five minutes then puree in manageable batches until silky smooth in a blender (be careful of steam).

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Pepper Jelly Grilled Cheese

By Ted Slee

Servings: 4

Prep: 5-10 mins

Cooking: 5-10 mins

Ingredients

Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Rustic Sour Dough Bread

Butter

Pepper Jelly

Prep

Slice bread into 1/2” slices and spread pepper jelly liberally on inside.  Spread ¼” thick of cheese on pepper jelly.  Grill in a hot pan with butter until golden brown and cheese is melted.  Cut in half and serve.

A Decadent Treat - Bacon Wrapped Dates

Bacon Wrapped Dates

By Ted Slee

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 10-20 mins

Servings: 5-7 ppl

Ingredients

20 Medjool Dates – Pitted Preferred but not necessary

1/2 pound aged Manchego or Blue Cheese, Cut into inch long slivers

10 full slices of bacon, cut in half

1/4 cup Maple Syrup (if desired)

Prep

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Depending on if your dates are pitted or not, make an incision on one side of each date with a sharp paring knife.  If dates aren’t pitted yet, use the tip of your knife to remove the pit once you’ve made the incision.  Gently open the date and insert the cheese and press it closed.  Wrap each date with bacon strip and secure with a toothpick.  Place the dates on a non-stick baking sheet or a sheet tray lined with a sil mat or parchment paper.  Let the dates roast in the oven until the bacon on top is starting to crisp.  About 8 to 10 minutes depending on your oven.  Make sure to turn the dates over and cook until golden brown another 2 to 10 minutes.  Once they have reached that golden color remove the dates from the oven.  This is when you can brush both sides with the maple syrup and return the dates to the oven for about 1 to 2 minutes more.  Make sure to serve them right away.

Burger Luck Winning Slider!

Kickin’ Espresso Sliders

By Ted Slee

Serves 4

Prep Time: up to 6 hours (letting meat marinade)

Cook Time: 30-45 mins

Ingredients:

Burger

1 1/3lb 80/20 ground beef

½ tbsp espresso fine ground

½ tbsp garlic powder

½ tbsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tbsp black pepper

½ tbsp sea salt

1 pinch mambosa (cayenne pepper) or to taste

3 tbsp bacon grease

Caramelized Onions

3 oz Chipotle peppers in adobo

1 tbsp cilantro (fresh chopped)

1 lime (zest and juice)

2 tbsp white tequila

½ Vidalia onion (sliced thin)

½ stick butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

Finish/Garnish

½ lb extra sharp cheddar (sliced)

8 dinner rolls (French bread style) sliced open

3 tbsp bacon grease

Tools:

Cast Iron Skillet

Non Stick Skillet

Tongs

Knife

Cutting Board

Prep:

Beef

Mix the espresso, garlic powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, sea salt and mambosa in a bowl.  Break the ground beef up gently using a fork or your hands in to small pieces in a baking dish or on a cookie sheet and coat evenly with espresso spice mixture.  Mix beef thoroughly and portion the ground beef into 8 patties a ½” thick.   Set aside until onions are cooked. 

Cook:

Onions

Melt butter in non-stick skillet.  Add onions and brown sugar and cook on med-hi until onions are translucent and soften.  Add the 2 tbsp tequila and continue cooking 5 more minutes.  While these are cooking mince chipotles and mix with cilantro, lime juice and zest.  Turn off onions mixture and add chipotle paste thoroughly. 

Beef

Melt 2 tbsp bacon grease in cast iron skillet and toast dinner rolls (2-3 mins on high).  Once removed add remaining bacon grease and add burgers and cook 2-3 mins a side.

Assembly

Put a good helping of cheddar on bottom half of bun then add the burger and top with caramelized onions.  Enjoy this tasty, burger!!!!