Coq Au Vin

A 3 to 4 ounce chunk of lean bacon
A heavy, 10 inch, fireproof casserole or a electric skillet
2 tb butter
2 ½ to 3lbs cut up frying chicken
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
¼ cup cognac
3 cups young, full-bodied red wine such as Burgundy, Beaujolais, cotes du Rhone, or Chianti
1 to 2 cups brown chicken stock, brown stock, or canned beef bouillon
½ tb tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
¼ thyme
2 bay leaf
12 to 24 brown braised onions (see recipe)
½ lb. sautéed mushrooms (see recipe)
3 Tb flour
2 Tb soften butter
A saucer
A rubber spatula
A wire whip

Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardoons (rectangles ¼ inch across and 1 inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry.

Saute the bacon slowly in the hot butter until it is very browned but just lightly Remove to a side dish.

Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole.

Season the chicken with salt and . Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Standing back away from the flame, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Salt and pepper the chicken.

Pour the wine into the casserole. Add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Bring to the simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for a minute or two, skimming off fat. Then raise heat to a boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 ¼ cups. Adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat, and discard bay leaf.

Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (beurre manie). Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Arrange the chicken in the casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it, and baste with the sauce (*) if the dish is not to be served immediately, skim the fat from the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered. It can wait indefinitely.

Shortly before serving, bring to the simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to

Oignons Glace A Burn
(Brown – braised Onions)

For 18 to 24 peeled white onions about 1 inch in diameter
1 ½ Tb butter
1 ½ Tb oil
A 9 to 10 inch enameled skillet
½ cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
Salt and pepper to taste
A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay leaf, and ¼ tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth


When the butter and oil are bubbling in the enameled skillet, add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. If they don’t brown uniformly, its okay.

Then either braise them as follows:
Pour the liquid, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet that you prepared previously. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tinder but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet. Serve them as they are, or follow one of the suggestions at the end of this recipe.


Champignons Sautes Au Beurre
(Sauteed Mushrooms)

A 10-inch enameled skillet
2 Tb butter
1 Tb oil
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small sliced or quartered if large
Optional: 1 to 2 Tb minced shallots or green onions
Salt and pepper


Place the skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes. During their sauté the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned slightly, remove from heat.

Toss the shallots or green onions with the mushrooms. Saute over moderate heat for 2 minutes.
(*) sautéed mushrooms may be cooked in advance, set aside, then reheated when needed. Season to taste just before serving.


So this recipe was adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck. Before the whole Julie and Julia craze, I had this cookbook in my library. Belive it or not I found my copy of this book in a used book store for $3.00 (hence the concept of this blog The Second Hand Cook.) Can you believe that!!! Now I log onto ebay and I find people hocking their damn copies of this book for up to $75.00. Crazy huh? So, onto the recipe. Make sure that you read the recipe fully and know everything that you need before you begin. This is truly ambitious dish to make for anyone who has never had any cooking experience or someone who wants to be bold. So first of all if you have never cut up a whole chicken…… don’t!!!!! Have your butcher do it for you at the local supermarket, if that option is available or you can purchase a whole cut up chicken. I hacked that damn chicken the fuck up. I think I used like 3 different knifes and I ended up ripping that bird up with my hand because I was so fustrated. They make it look so damn easy on the Food Network!! So first the mushrooms…… I ended up cooking the wrong damn recipe. I made creamed mushrooms instead of sautéed mushrooms, that recipe will follow, so look for it. The mushrooms were pretty easy. The sautéed onions were a pain in the ass. Only because they were not available when I went to the damn store. I went to 2 grocery stores before I found pearl onions. These are not something that are at the local grocery store that I normally go to. So I had everything that needed and I began my cooking. So no major missteps with everything and I was done after about an hour and half. My critique is that it came out okay but it tasted a little “winey” (the wine was wayyy too prominent) if you know what I mean. If you are gonna try this I say reduce the wine amounts by about half and increase the beef stock to make up for it. But, overall it was a very tasty dish and is meant to be served when guest come over and not when you are home alone (belive it or not, that is how I spend my Friday nights.) I did this over the snowstorm of 2010 in the DC metro area. So I had nothing else to do but sit around for 2 days and cook. So if I was gonna be trapped in the house I might as well try one of Juila’s most decadent dishes. Well...... till the next entry.

JOLLOF RICE

1/4 cup peanut oil
8 chicken pieces, such as thighs, drumsticks, or breast, or a combination
2 tablespoons hot paprika
2 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 hot bird's eye or other hot chilies, split twice lengthwise
1 cinnamon stick, halved (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups canned chopped tomatoes in juices
2 cups chicken stock
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch strips
8oz. ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, about 1 1/2 cup
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Coat the chicken in the paprika and saute in batches over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, chilies, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, rice, tomatoes and their juice, chicken stock and carrots.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.

Add the ham and peas and stir. Cover the pot again and summer for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the rice is fluffy and the liquid has absorbed.

Serve with wilted greens such as collard or cabbage. A more authentic service would include dasheen, gboma, or callallo.

So this dish was adapted from Chicken From Maryland to Kiev by Clare Ferguson. Must I say that I was truly disappointed. When I was at the store and I was looking through the cookbooks I came upon this recipe and that was the only reason I decided that I would buy it. I was not disappointed with the taste of it but because it truly was not what I had come to expect of Jollof Rice. Let me give you a little background on the situation. When I first moved out of my parents house my first roommate was from Gambia. When she made Jollof Rice I could not believe the taste that was in that dish. It was soooo good. It was way more rustic and authentic tasting. If this dish was called "Jollof Rice" then it was the bastard third cousin of what I ate when my old roommate was around. Now, the people who ate this thought it was excellent and I do also on some level but it just left me wanting what Nancy (my old roommate) would make for me. There were so many things that she introduced me to, food wise that were unbelievable but I dare try to make. So the bad thing about this dish was not the flavor or taste but the lack of remembrance of something that I so longed for since she moved away. I must say that the opening comments to this recipe state: "This is a famous, much-adapted, one-pan chicken-and-rice dish orginating in the kingdom of Jollof in West Africa." So, it could be that what I remembered was the bastard third cousin. The last time I had Jollof Rice was when my sister-in-law's mother made some one Thanksgiving and I think a ate the whole container because it was the closest thing I had to Jollof Rice since Nancy left. But for my fans that have never had what I would like to call Jollof Rice I say you will really enjoy this recipe. Try it out and tell me what you think.

MIDDLE EASTERN MEATBALLS WITH SWIS CHARD

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cups pine nuts (about 4 1/2 ounces)
2 medium leeks white part only, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 pound ground lamb
2 eggs, lightly beeten
1/3 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 28-ounce cans Italian peeled tomatoes and their liquid
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 bunches of Swiss chard (about 3 pounds), large stems discarded and small stems chopped.

1. In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the pine nuts and cook, shaking the pan, until the nuts are toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a plate to cool.
2. In a saucepan of boiling water, blanch the leeks for about 1 minute. Drain the leeks in a colander and rinse with cold water to cool and drain. Finely chop the leeks in a food processor. Add the ground chuck and lamb in the processor to blend.
3. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add 1/2 of the toasted pine nuts, the beaten eggs, bread crumbs, cumin, allspice and 1 1/2 teaspoons each of salt and pepper. Mix well using a fork and form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate to firm up the meatballs slightly for about 30 minutes.
4. In a food processor, puree the tomatoes and their liquid.
5. In a large sauce pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over moderately high heat. Place the flour in a medium bowl and dredge the meatballs, shaking off any excess. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook, turning until nicely browned all over for about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer plate and fry the remaining meatballs in the remaining butter. Return the first batch of meatballs to the casserole.
6. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of water, the pureed tomatoes and the lemon juice and bring them all to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat for about 20 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in the Swiss chard and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Before serving, sprinkle the remaining toasted pine nuts on top.


So this recipe was adapted from The Best of Food & Wine 1995 Collection. So one day I was driving down Georgia Ave. and I saw a Thrift Store that I had not been to in ages. So thinking about my blog I stopped in and found this cookbook (along with a pair of Banana Republic wool pants that I loved but were just a little bit too short, I guess that is the price you have to pay for a pair of $5.00 pants.)So Food & Wine magazine is the creme de la creme of magazines that would most likely scare anyone that is not a seasoned cook. It is so much that I don't even subscribe to it. But for $1.50 I was gonna buy this book and see what I could make from it. Wouldn't you know it there were several recipes that I felt truly comfortable trying. This being one of them. So on to my critique....... Kick ass food!!!! I did spend a little more time in the special food store to find the Swiss chard but it was so worth it. So I did make a few adjustments that should be noted. I did reduce the amount of pine nuts and only included them within the meatballs and reduced the amount of leeks that are recommended for the recipe. I am not a big fan of "nuts" so that is why the reduction was made. Also instead of using water as the recipe called for I used a beef broth. But outside of that..... I and my co-workers loved it!! I must make a point that my co-workers are my guinea pigs as I am a single man and most of these recipes serve 6 to 8, and I damn sure cannot eat all that shit in one week. So on Monday morning's they get to see me come up the stairs with a shopping bag full of "samples" for them. The Swiss chard was a really nice change of taste instead of the usual greens that you get at dinner time. The whole thing was like a meatball soup but really chunky. I thought it was fantastic. So until next time......

Spotlight on Goodness

I wanted to start a new section of my blog that spotlights some of the “goodness” that I just crave and think what others might crave as much as I do given the chance to experience them. So today I told myself that I would not sit around and do nothing all day. So I got up, jumped in the shower, brush my teeth and I set out on my way. I made some stops at the few thrift stores and yard sales and I made my way over to the Dutch Market in Laurel, MD. Ever since they closed there location in Beltsville, MD I was a little weary about going all the way out there for just some produce and meat. But what I truly missed was the pretzel logs that those wonderful Dutch Amish offer. As I approached the parking lot there were parking attendants directing traffic which showed how popular the “goodness” that they offer. I raced inside and looked for the particular


stand that sold the “goodness” that I was looking for and wouldn’t you know it, it was right by the front door. The line that wrapped around on both sides further showed me how much “goodness” these little pockets of meat and cheese offered. So after standing in line for what seemed like an eternity I made it to the front of the line and placed my order, and in true gluttonious fashion I ordered 3 “logs”. I tried to be coy and walk around the rest of the market like I didn’t want just tear open that bag and devour each one of those “logs” like I haven’t had a meal in my entire lifetime. So, when I got back to my car I indulged my senses. That first bite was what I remembered why I loved taking those trips up to Beltsville and enjoy the salty, doughy, savory “goodness” that I enjoyed. It was just as I remembered, the salt that covered the outside gave way to the dough that wrapped the turkey sausage and cheese of the first “log” that I devoured brought be back to a place that I like to call comfort. The picture above shows the Cheese Steak “log” that I also ordered that was just as good when I popped it into the toaster oven and had it for an afternoon snack. So if you are ever in the area and have the time to go to the Dutch Market to get an excellent “goodness” that is one of these Pretzel Logs…….Do it!!!!!

Upgraded Grilled Cheese

So this past weekend was the first nice weekend after a wonderful snow filled winter. So I grabbed my ipod, metro pass, and backpack and I went down to Eastern Market in DC and I was half amazed and half not by how many people were there. But again, it was the first nice weekend of the year. As I wondered around looking at all the different vendors and artist I knew that I would have to plan something big this weekend to cook. But like everything, things don’t always go as planned. So this is how it all started. I first sauntered up and down the produce and vegetables section of the market. I purchased some beautiful tomatoes and of course I didn’t know what I was gonna do with it but I had to have them. Then as I walked inside of the meat section of the market I just gravitated to this peppered bacon I saw. And wouldn’t you know it the cheese monger was right behind that. So I purchased some fontina cheese and it all came together. I was gonna make a grilled cheese. But you can’t have a good grilled cheese without some good bread. I wasn’t too impressed with the breads that I saw there but, I was happy with the purchases that I made today. So, with my bacon, cheese and tomatoes (along with a lot of other stuff that I bought and did not need) I headed back home. On the way home I made a stop at the local market to pick up some bread which I might find suitable. On a hunch I purchased this rosemary boule’. I raced home and I couldn’t wait to start cooking. So, I cooked the bacon in the oven for about 10 minutes or until it was crispy. While that was cooking I sliced the tomatoes and marinated them in balsamic vinegar then I built the sandwich using the rosemary boule' as my base then layering the cheese, bacon, the marinated tomatoes and more cheese on top. So the rest is history. If you need instructions on how to make a grilled cheese then………… I’m not gonna tell you. But, I did use my cast iron grill which gave me the grill marks that you see. The first bite was like heaven!!! I couldn’t help myself…. I devoured that sandwich in like a minute. It was so good that I had to make another one. But this time I used some cheddar cheese that I had in the house. And it turned out just as good!!! The tomatoes marinated in balsamic vinegar really made the sandwich stand out. So happy cooking until the next time.

SPANISH BEEF STEW

1 beef flank steak (1 ¾ pounds)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into ½ - inch strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into ½ - inch strips
1 green pepper, cut into ½ - inch strips
3 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
3 Serrano or jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can (14 ½ to 16 ounces) tomatoes
Capers for garnish

1. Cut flank steak into three even portions. In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat the steak, chopped onion, carrot, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 5 cups water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 ½ to 3 hours, until meat is tender. Remove Dutch oven from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 30 minutes. (Or, cover and refrigerate overnight)
2. In 12-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, and remaining 2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in garlic, Serrano chilies, and cinnamon and cook 30 seconds. Stir in canned tomatoes and their juice; cook 5 minutes.
3. Remove beef to bowl; strain broth. Reserve 2 cups broth. (Reserve remaining broth for use another day.) shred the beef with 2 forks into fine strips.
4. Stir reserved broth and shredded meat into pepper mixture and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Sprinkle with capers to serve. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

So this recipe was adapted from Good Housekeeping Best Recipes 1998. So this was another dish that I made during Snowmaggedon of 2010. Over all it was a pretty decent dish. The most surprising thing about the dish was the use of cinnamon in a savory dish. It was a welcomed change. As I was going to the grocery store before the storm it was a little difficult to find “flank steak” because everything on the shelves was wiped clean so, I used what was available. I don’t know if because I used the steak that I found instead of “flank steak” made the meat somewhat tough. I even marinated the goddamn meat overnight, thinking that I would get a much more tender meat. So I guess that I am gonna have to try making the dish the way that they described it in the cookbook. But overall it was a pretty welcomed dish that I enjoyed more as I let it set overnight and I took it to work the next few days for lunch.

SPINICH, MUSHROOM, AND SAUSAGE OMELET

So its Sunday night right before the Amazing Race and I am hungry. I didn’t do my normal Sunday “cooking” as I would normally do so I didn’t really eat. Let me put this into perspective….. I just started dating someone and most of my money has been going toward that (putting up a good front) and not groceries. Dating is really expensive!!! So get the fuck off my back, why don’t you. So keeping with my blog I have decided I would take a recipe from Julia Child and make an omelet. Yea I know what you are saying….. there is no recipe to making fucking eggs but there is a technique. I was on youtube all day so I decided that watching Julia would be the best!!! The pan movement is what makes it!!. I had a few ingredients of mushrooms, spinach and sausage in the fridge and I thought they would make a good “insert” to the omelet. So I sauted some spinach, mushrooms and sausage in butter as I made my omelet. Anyway the outcome....... pretty damn good if I say so myself. I did add a few drops of Tabasco and some cheddar cheese to the eggs to give it a little punch. Overall I was impressed with the taste of it. But, I was not impressed with the way it looked. (see above). This looked like some mangled eggs at the bottom of a truck stop diner trash can at the end of the breakfast run. I did not get the technique as I hoped I would. But try it out anyway.