JEFF’S ROASTED CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER

1 whole chicken sectioned, plus four thighs
6 ears of corn
3 heads of garlic
2 red peppers
6 stalks celery, chopped
2 large onions,(one chopped)
2 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1 green pepper
2 cups heavy cream
1 can chicken stock
1/2 gallon whole milk
salt & pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons olive oil

Remove very top of heads of garlic - exposing top of each clove. Drizzle with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and roast on grill for 30 minutes or until soft.

Grill chicken until just cooked through. Start chicken on high flame to allow some charring
then lower heat to cook through and remain juicy
Grill corn without husks, allow a little charring
Quarter one onion and grill allowing a little charring
Grill red pepper until charred on all sides. Place in paper bag and allow to steam for 15 minutes.

Remove chicken from bones - dice
Chop grilled onion
Remove corn from cobs
Remove charred skin from red pepper - chop

In large stock pot combine olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add fresh onion, green pepper and celery. Sweat for 3 minutes. Add potatoes, cream and chicken stock. Cook for 6 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 35 minutes stirring often to prevent sticking to bottom of pot.

Seafood Franco

4 talapia filets
1/2 pound shrimp
1/2 pound Krab (fake crab, if you want to spend the money on real crab go for it)
1 small can minced clams
8 ounces clam juice
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 cloves Garlic minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lime juiced
1 medium portobello mushroom diced
3 roma tomatoes diced
1 medium onion sliced


Heat 1/2 olive oil and butter in large nonstick pan. Add onion and garlic, sauté one minute. Add talapia, sauté until 1/2 cooked through. The meat will become less translucent and feel firmer when you push on it. Add shrimp, cook until shrimp just turns pink or opaque. Add mushrooms and tomatoes, sauté for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, cook 2 minutes. If necessary, thicken liquid with Wondra™ (see notes) Serve over pasta or rice.

Serves 4-6

Notes:

If you over cook the fish it will flake apart. In this recipe it's not a big deal. It will just blend into the pasta or rice. However, if you over cook fish it gets rubbery and doesn't taste as good. So try not to over cook it.

To thicken liquid in a pan use a thickening flour like Wondra™.
Push solids to one side of pan. Tilt the pan to the vacant side so liquid runs to that side. Slowly shake enough thickening flour to lightly cover the surface of the liquid, stirring constantly. Let the liquid come to a boil. If the liquid isn't thick enough after it boils for a few seconds add more flour and repeat the process.

Eggplant Strada

1 large eggplant sliced lenghtwise 1/2 inch thick
1 pound ground lamb or ground beef
2 teaspoons allspice
1 small onion minced
3 cloves garlic minced
4 leaves fresh sage chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms sliced
1 can whole tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup olive oil divided
1/4 cup bread crumbs

In a large pan heat 1/2 of the olive oil. Add 1/2 of the eggplant slices. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan, drain on paper towel. Repeat with other half of the eggplant. In same pan heat remaining olive oil over medium high heat. Saute garlic and onions for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add meat, cook until cooked through. Add mushrooms and spices. Cook until mushrooms are softened. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. In a 13 x 9 oven safe casserol dish layer 1/2 of the eggplant. Top with 1/2 of the meat sauce. Add remaining eggplant. cover with remaining meat sauce. Top with bredcrumbs. Bake in a 450º oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with rice.

Cubes of bread may be used instead of bread crumbs.

Seafood Fajitas

½ pound Red snapper or orther light bodied fish cut into bite sized pieces
½ pound Small shrimp(60-70 count) 
1 8oz. Package Fake crab or fake lobster
1 Green pepper sliced in ¼ inch lengths
½ Sweet onion cut in ¼ inch lengths
1/2 Jalapeno pepper ,seeds removed, finely chopped 
4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
2 Tablespoons Tequila
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Tablespoon Brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Fresh cilantro, divided
1 teaspoon  Key lime juice
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon  Salt
8
Tortillas
In large frying pan heat olive oil, add garlic, fish and shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, tequilla, brown sugar, key lime juice, cumin and salt. Coat fish and shrimp with mixture. Add onions, green peppers and half of the cilantro.  Cook until pepper and onion strips are soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in fake crab or lobster and heat through. Garnish with remaining cilantro and limes. Serve with tortillas. Serves 4.

Sherry Shrimp

1 pound shrimp
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped fine
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons sherry
1 Tablespoon fresh Basil, chopped into ribbons
2 teaspoons fresh Oregano, chopped into ribbons
Juice of 3 key limes
4 Green onions chopped, divided, reserve green parts
1/2 teaspoon butter
salt and pepper to taste

In large nonstick skillet over high heat add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add garlic, cook for one minute.  Add sherry, red onion, Green pepper, and white part of green onion, cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp, basil, oregano, salt and pepper, cook until the shrimp just turns pink. Add lime juice. turn heat to medium high, reduce liquid by 1/4. Add remaining butter and stir until melted . Garnish with remaining green onion. 

This works great as a fajita or burrito filling.

Serves 2-4 easily doubled for large appetites. 

Garlic Bread

I know most people don't need a recipe for garlic bread, but you might be able to improve a good thing.

Good bread is subjective. In my area there is a bakery that isn't very good at making the bread they say they are making. Their "French baguette" only resembles it's namesake in shape. It does, however, make great garlic bread.

1 loaf good quality Italian, Greek or French Bread
3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chef's salt. (see note)
1/2 teaspoon basil (fresh or dried)
1/2 teaspoon oregano (fresh or dried)

Cut the loaf of bread in half lengthwise and place on a baking sheet.

In a small saucepan melt butter over low heat. when melted butter coats the bottom of the pan add the crushed garlic. Keep pan on low heat for at least 10 minutes without letting the garlic burn or the butter bubble. This will let the garlic release the natural sugars and give you a sweet garlic flavor instead of a pungent taste. Crushing the garlic will aid in this process. After 10 minutes of cooking over low heat add remaining ingredients. Cook for another 2 to 5 minutes. You will notice some white bits in the bottom of the pan, those are the milk solids and the source of the best flavor.

With a tablespoon, spoon butter, garlic and other solid bits in the pan onto the bread. Use the back of the spoon to work the butter into the nooks and crannies of the bread. Let the butter soaked bread stand on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or more before placing in a 400º oven. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or to desired crispiness. Don't forget about it! You'll get garlic bricks or set your oven on fire.

Note:
Chef salt is a blend of salt and seasonings. There are several available commercially. I like Miracle Blend™ from Alden Mill House www.aldenmillhouse.com (free plug). Or I make my own using kosher or grey salt, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, basil and thyme.