The Gourmet Farm Girl: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Family Pleaser...

I wanted to make something different, yet easy. I was in the mood for pasta and I had chicken thighs thawed out. So here is what I came up with. I made my sauce with some home canned tomatoes from the garden; but a good tomato sauce from the market will work also.

Individual Lasagna Wrapped Chicken Thighs

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

1 1/2 - 2lb's boneless chicken thighs (4-5)

4-5 Lasagna noodles (one per thigh)

1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic minced

1 small onion chopped

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 cup Portabella mushrooms chopped

8-10 tablespoons Ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

5 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley for garnish

Small block of hard Parmesan cheese for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spray a 9x9 inch glass casserole with cooking spray; set aside

Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil; add the Lasagna noodles; cook till al dente; 8-10 minutes

Drain and set aside reserving some of the pasta water.

Salt and pepper chicken thighs

In a medium size deep skillet over medium high heat add the olive oil. When oil is hot, sear the chicken thighs on each side; 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium; add the garlic and onions; sauté till tender; 3-5 minutes

Pour the sauce into the skillet and add the dried herbs and mushrooms; reduce heat to low and simmer; stirring often 10-12 minutes.

While sauce is simmering; mix the Ricotta, grated Parmesan and black pepper together in a small bowl.

Assemble by spreading several tablespoons of sauce on top of a noodle, followed by several spoonfuls of the cheese mixture. Place a chicken thigh in the center of the noodle and gently wrap the noodle around it. Place in casserole; pour reaming sauce over the top; (if sauce is thick add a few spoonfuls of pasta water to thin it) cover with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes till hot through.

Garnish with fresh parsley and top with shavings of Parmesan cheese.

ENJOY!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Gator Chow...

I have eaten frog legs, all kinds of fish and seafood and yes...Alligator. If you have tried it you will know how tasty it is. Some restaurants serve fried Gator Bites, which are great, but when I found Alligator meat unbreaded and ready to cook with; I just had to get some.

I found some recipes for Alligator Stew, but I wanted to do something different. So I made Alligator Chowder. It's a lot like Clam Chowder but the tender pieces of gator meat are mild and add a unique flavor. Some people say it tastes like chicken...I disagree.

Alligator Chowder

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2 pounds Alligator meat

(cut into small chunks)

4 thick slices of smoked bacon

1 Tablespoon butter

2 large potatoes

2 stalks celery with leaves

2 carrots

1 small onion

2 quarts chicken stock

2 Bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 15.25 ounce can corn (or three ears)

1 cup half and half

4 Tablespoons corn starch

Cold water

Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Cut bacon into pieces and brown in a large stock pot over medium heat; remove cooked bacon and drain on a paper towel; set aside. Remove all but 2-3 tablespoon of the bacon fat; add the butter and melt; add the chopped celery, carrots and onions.. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the broth, all seasonings and the Alligator meat. Reduce heat to a simmer; tilt the lid and allow to cook for 45-50 minutes till the meat is tender; stir occasionally. Stir in the half-n-half and corn and cook for 2-3 minutes till all is hot. Mix the cornstarch with enough cold water to make 1/4 cup; pour into the soup and stir till thick.

Makes 8 servings

ENJOY!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

She Made Sea Shells...

When growing up on the farm I never imagined eating fresh scallops baked in sea shells. Seafood was hard to find unless you made a special trip to a large grocery that carried frozen seafood's .

My mom cooked a lot of Lake Erie Perch, Walleye and Catfish.

Note: there are recipes for all three on this site under Fish.

These Shells are from Morty Knife Company

These beautiful sea shells can be purchased at Fish Markets or online. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be washed and reused.

Here is my recipe using fresh Sea Scallops

Baked Scallops on Sea Shells

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

1 pound fresh Sea Scallops (or frozen & thawed)

Note: you will need 3 large scallops for each shell

4 Tablespoons butter + 1-2 tablespoons for on top

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/4 teaspoon Chile De Arbol powder (optional)

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 fresh lemon cut into wedges

1 small block of Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a medium size saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Brush each shell lightly with some of the melted butter. Add the garlic, Chile powder and bread crumbs to the butter and toast lightly; about 1 minute.

Place one tablespoon of the crumb mixture on each shell; place three scallops on top of crumbs; squeeze a small amount of lemon juice on top of the scallops. Finish with another tablespoon of the crumbs on top; followed with a small pat of butter.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or till the scallops are opaque; remove from oven and top with slivers of Parmesan cheese; return to the oven broiler for 1 minutes or less till cheese is melted

Serve with lemon wedges

Serves 4

ENJOY!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Simple Blessings...

If something in us must change, spending time in nature

is a good beginning.

~Malidoma Patrice Some,

The Healing Wisdon of Africa

Have a Blessed Sunday....

Enjoy the Simple Things in Your Life!

The Gourmet Farm Girl

Photos are original and taken by The Gourmet Farm Girl 2010 & 2011

Friday, February 10, 2012

I'm thinking Spring!

In the mood for a fresh and flavorful side dish?

This recipe will make you feel SPRING Time!

Sautéed Sugar Peas and

Garden Squash with Rosemary

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

1 pound (fresh) sugar snap pea pods
1 large sprig fresh rosemary (remove a few leaves)
1 small zucchini squash (cut into chunks)
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
(Or infused oil with rosemary)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium size sauté pan heat the olive oil till just warm; add the rosemary leaves and sprig; allow the rosemary to infuse the oil; about 1 minute.
Turn heat to medium/ medium high; add the pea pods; sauté for 1-2 minutes till starting to tender; add the squash and continue to sauté till all is tender and flavored 1-2 minutes more.
Salt and pepper to tast

Garnish with a new sprig of fresh rosemary and serve.

Serves 5-6

ENJOY!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Unique Breakfast Idea...

I had a Scotch Egg as an appetizer this past week while dinning out. I enjoyed this English Pub food and decided to make them at home for a Sunday brunch idea ...Farm Girl Style.

Wikipedia says this about the Scotch Egg:

A Scotch egg consists of a hard-boiled egg (with its shell removed) wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs or rolled oats, and deep-fried. Scotch eggs are commonly eaten cold, typically with salad.

The earliest printed recipe is the 1809 edition of Mrs. Rundell's A New System of Domestic Cookery. Mrs. Rundell and later 19th-century authors - served them hot, with gravy.

Here is my recipe...instead of wrapping in sausage before breading, I mixed chopped bacon and Canadian bacon and pressed it together with the crumbs to give it a lighter flare.