Artichokes

Growing up my family ate artichokes year round. Most of my family fought for the heart, but I always loved the ritual of pulling the leaves between my teeth. My daughter and I often share a piece of fish and an artichoke for a perfect supper. Fresh are always better (see the soup recipe for instructions on steaming) but they are avaible in cans (non marinated) and jars are usually marinated. As you can see I prefer to marinate my own.

Marinated Artichoke hearts
24 small to medium artichokes, trimmed and steamed
1 cup each red wine vinegar and olive oil
4 -cloves fresh garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Steam the artichokes and remove leaves. You can eat these with melted butter, mayonnaise or aolie. 
Remove the choke and trim as desired. You can leave the chokes whole or cut them in half vertically through the stem. Mix together wine vinegar, oil, garlic powder and parsley. Add artichokes. Stir, cover and refrigerate. Better on the second day. Will keep several weeks in the refrigerator; stir occasionally.

Cream Of Artichoke Soup
1 Large artichoke
1 lemon
3 Cloves garlic, minced
1/2-teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4-cup butter
4 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper to taste
Cut stem at bottom of artichoke. Cut the top third of the artichoke and snip off remaining sharp tips of leaves with kitchen shears. Gently pull the leaves of the artichoke to spread them out a bit. In a large saucepan place artichokes in with 3 cups water and juice of one lemon. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and cook for about 45 minutes until very tender. Drain the artichokes and cool down with water. When cool enough to handle cut artichokes in half lengthwise. Remove and discard the fuzzy choke part. Place artichokes in a blender or food processor until very smooth. In a large soup pan sauté the garlic and red pepper flakes in the butter over medium heat. When the garlic is golden add artichoke puree. Whisk in the heavy cream and salt and pepper. When at the desired temperature serve.

Zely’s Famous Artichoke Dip
8-ounce package cream cheese
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1/2-cup mayo
1 cans non-marinated artichokes (coarsely chopped)
3 Cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped dill
Salt
Pepper
Few dashes Worchester sauce

Throw it all in a bowl mix it up. Put in baking dish and cook uncovered at 350 until it is bubbly and brown (about 35 minutes.) Serve with crackers, crusty bread or crudity. I must admit my favorite way to serve it is using a small round loaf of bread and turn it in to a bread bowl by cutting off the top of the loaf and scooping out the bread (save it for dipping.) Just pour the dip into the bread bowl and again bake until bubbly and golden brown. For larger gatherings (This is such a hit that I would do this for anything over 4!!!!!) double the recipe and use a large round loaf. I also buy a little extra bread and slice it as it goes fast.

Artichoke Frittata

1 cup canned artichoke hearts in water
6 eggs
1/2cup half-and-half
1/4-teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8-teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Spread artichokes in 4 well-greased individual au gratin dishes or 1 8-inch soufflé dish. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese on top. In bowl beat eggs with half-and-half, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over artichokes & cheddar. Top with Parmesan. 

Bake at 350°F until frittata is puffy and lightly browned and center feels firm (about 20 minutes). Serve at once.


Chilean Sea bass with Lemon Caper Artichoke Sauce

8 tablespoons of butter
½ cup white wine
3 tablespoons capers
1/2 cup of vegetable stock
Juice of 4 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups non-marinated artichoke hearts
Salt and Pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 fillets of Chilean sea bass (approx. 2 lb.) with skin, if possible

Preheat your oven to 450°. In a stockpot melt the butter. Whisk together the wine, vegetable stock, capers lemon juice and zest. Add the artichoke hearts and bring to a boil. Let simmer to thicken for a few minutes. In an oven proof sauté (fry) pan and heat the canola oil until its so hot it's about to smoke. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and add to the hot pan cook them on one side for about 3 minutes and flip them over for another 2 minutes before (9) transferring to the oven for 3-4 minutes. Place on 4 plates and cover with Sauce. Great with roasted vegetables and potatoes.

Saint Patrick’s Day

Being from a large Irish- Italian family we always had a family bash on St. Patrick’s Day. It was one of the few meals my dad loved to cook. We would come home from school and watch him prepare this amazing meal. The way my dad cooked was by using every bowl, spoon and gadget in the kitchen playfully annoying my mother since he cooked and did not clean! O.K. so it is not the kind of holiday that the masses celebrate, but you can come up with fun things to do with your family. One year we had a potato hunt and the person that found the most got a gold coin. My friend Zelma started the traditional game of hiding the cabbage. Not being a fan of that vegetable she will hide it in the hopes that I will forget about it! (I did once, nobody seemed to mind!) My daughter’s kindergarten and first grade teacher had a naughty little leprechaun named Liam that appeared in her classroom starting the first of March. He left little messes and problems to solve, and told the kids that if they could catch him on St Patrick’s Day they would get the pot of gold. The kids spent so much time creating elaborate traps. But alas, Liam always managed to escape, but not without totally reeking havoc in the classroom and leaving cupcakes. (Kind of like my daddy in the kitchen!) Some older Irish folks I know believe in reading the eyes of potatoes for fortunes. Soda bread is super easy to make and a great activity for older kids. For me the best part is hanging with friends and family and spreading a little luck of the Irish to all those I love.




Corned Beef
In collage and in my first few years living in L.A. While many of my peers were chugging green beer, I was cooking a traditional Irish-American dinner. On year I did 35 pounds of Corned Beef and there was not a scrap left for sandwiches.
The best part of this meal is that it is done in one pot! Even though I give you a couple of recipes for bread, you can always buy some if you are pressed for time. The flavor of the beef in the boiling water gives the veggies an amazing flavor. This menu is based on 8 people. I recommend that as you add people you add pots. Do half of the beef in each so you can still cook all the veggies in the meat water. I simply serve it with assorted mustards and assorted breads.

6 pound corned beef brisket
6 garlic cloves
12 peppercorns
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoon each–thyme-sage- oregano (Must have been added from one of my Italian relatives.)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 red onions, sliced
10 medium carrots cut into one-inch pieces
16 red new potatoes, scrubbed
2 small heads of green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges each

In a large soup pot cover corned beef with cold water. Add onions, garlic peppercorns, cloves, bayleaves,red pepper and seasoning. Over medium-high heat bring to a boil. Carefully remove foam with out removing and spices. Reduce heat and cook covered until almost fork tender about 3 hours. Add carrots and potatoes; cook 15 minutes. Add cabbage cook 15 minutes longer until vegetables and brisket are tender. Remove Brisket. Slice brisket and arrange on a large platter. Drain Vegetables in a colander and return to pot. Toss with butter and place on platter.



Irish Soda Bread
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon each baking soda-baking powder
1/2-teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1-cup buttermilk
1/2-cup seedless, dark raisins
Spray a cookie sheet with baker’s joy. Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients. With a pastry blade cut in butter until mixture resembles a coarse crumbs. Add raisins. Add buttermilk and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Turn out on lightly floured board. Gently knead for about 1 minute until smooth. Shape into a ball and then press down until you get a 6-inch circle. With a sharp knife cut a quarter inch cross in the top of the bread. Bake for 40 minutes until top is golden and you hear a hollow sound when lightly tapped. Let cool on rack.

Irish soda bread with fresh dill
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon each baking powder- baking soda-salt
1/2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Pre-heat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients Cut butter in with a pastry blade until it resembles coarse crumbs. With a fork add the dill. Add buttermilk and mix until lightly moistened. Turn out to lightly floured board and knead until smooth about 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half and make two smooth balls. Place the balls on a large increased cookie sheet. . Bake for 40 minutes until top is golden and you hear a hollow sound when lightly tapped. Let cool on rack.


Onion- corn Rye Bread
2 packages yeast
2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2-cup warm milk
1-teaspoon salt
2-tablespoon caraway seeds
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons corn oil
4 cups flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups rye flour
1 egg white, beaten
Kosher Salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer; soften yeast in 1/2-cup water and 1-teaspoon sugar for about 5 minutes. Add remaining water, milk, sugar, salt, caraway seeds, oil and onion. Add three cups flour. Mix to blend then beat at medium speed until smooth and elastic about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Set aside 3 tablespoons of cornmeal for topping. Mix in to dough the remaining cornmeal the rye flour and 1/2-cup flour to make soft dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until dough is elastic and smooth and small bubbles form under the surface adding a little flour so the dough is not sticky for about 20 minutes. Turn dough into a greased bowl and cover with plastic and a towel and let rise in a warm place for one hour. Punch dough down and let rest for 15 minutes. Divide dough into two equal parts and roll into balls. Place on two greased cookie sheets sprinkled with a little cornmeal. Brush generously with egg white and sprinkle with remaining cornmeal and some kosher salt. Bake for 40 minutes in a pre-heated 350 oven until top is golden and you hear a hollow sound when lightly tapped. Let cool on rack.






Irish Cream Cheesecake
Can you imagine the decadence of mixing cheesecake with Irish Cream? I’m usually way to stuffed from the meal so I have it the next day with my morning coffee!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
3 -8 ounce packages cream cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2-cup sugar
1 cup Baileys Irish Cream
1-teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350. Combine melted butter and crumbs. Press into a sprayed 9-inch spring form pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour mixture into pan. Bake one hour and 15 minutes, until firm in the middle. Cool completely before removing from the pan. Chill for a few hours (overnight) before serving.

Blood Oranges

This time of year a truly amazing and vibrant fruit is the blood orange. It has an extraordinary deep red color and the sweet, sweet flavor of an orange kissed by a raspberry. It makes a dramatic presentation and can be used in any recipe that calls for an orange. Its color is very romantic so it is lovely in cocktails or freshly juiced for an intimate breakfast. So see where your imagination takes you with this local yet exotic fruit.


Mahi Mahi with Blood Orange Salsa
4 blood oranges
2 avocados, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1-inch ginger, minced
1 small jalapeno, minced
Juice of 2-3 limes (to coat)
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 6-ounce mahi-mahi fillets
Using small sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from orange. Working over small bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Add avocado, onion, garlic, ginger jalapeno, and lime juice to oranges in bowl; stir gently to blend. Season salsa to taste with salt. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to skillet and sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
Place 1 fillet on each of 2 plates. Spoon salsa atop fish and serve.

Blood Barbecued Chicken
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp. butter
1/3-cup honey
3-tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian Chili garlic sauce (you can substitute Tabasco, to taste)
Juice of one lemon
Juice of 2 blood oranges
2 tablespoons Blood orange zest
1 1⁄2 tbsp. cornstarch
3 pounds boneless chicken breasts
3 pounds drumsticks
Olive oil for brushing

To make the sauce, in a small saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in the butter until tender. Add the honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, chili sauce and blood orange zest. Gradually blend the orange juice into the cornstarch; add to the onion mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly brush the chicken drumsticks with oil. Barbecue on a grill 6 inches above the glowing coals for 20 minutes. Turn and cook 20 minutes longer. Brush the chicken breasts with oil and add to the grill cooking 10 minutes on each side. Brush with sauce. Continue cooking until the chicken is tender, turning and brushing occasionally with sauce. Serves 6.





Pomegranate, beets, fennel and blood oranges
The joy of this salad is that beets are widely available pre cooked. The pomegranates seeds and vinegar are also now in most every market making this salad simple and elegant.

8 medium beets
6 tablespoons olive oil
1-teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4-cup water

Juice from 2 blood orange
4 tablespoons pomegranate vinegar

1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
4 blood oranges, peeled, cut into1/4-inch-thick slices
1-cup pomegranate seeds


Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets in roasting pan and toss with 3-tablespoon oil, 1-teaspoon salt, and 1/2-teaspoon pepper. Add 1/4-cup water. Cover pan with foil; roast beets until knife easily pierces center, about 50 minutes. Cool. Peel beets and cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges.
Whisk orange juice, pomegranate vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl to blend. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Add beets, onion, fennel, orange slices, and pomegranate seeds to vinaigrette in bowl; toss. Season salad with salt and pepper. Servers 4-6.


Blood Orange Salsa with Homemade tortilla Chips
A fiery winter salsa and the tortilla chips are easy and so much better than anything you have tasted. You can let the older kids loose on this project with close supervision.

For Salsa:
2 Blood oranges, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 red onion, minced
1-teaspoon blood orange zest
1-teaspoon garlic, minced
1-inch ginger, minced
1⁄2 jalapeno, minced fine
1/4-teaspoon salt
1-tablespoon cilantro

In a bowl combine all ingredients except the cilantro and chill, covered, until ready to serve. Before serving toss in the cilantro.

For the chips:
12 count package of corn tortillas
Canola oil for frying
Kosher salt
Preheat oil in deep skillet. On a cutting board stack 4 tortillas and cut into 8 wedges. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Add a handful of wedges to the hot oil. Separate any that stick together. Fry until golden brown. Remove and drain on a cookie sheet lined with a brown paper bag or paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and continue with the remaining tortillas.

Grilled Veggie Salad and Salad Dressings

A few weeks ago I was walking through the open-air market just going crazy over the most amazing and abundant vegetables. I started to buy things up and my friend said that he would make more salads if he only had some good recipes. I was a bit stunned. Well, just throw some mix greens, spinach, or lettuce in a bowl. Toss with whatever fresh veggies you like. You can make a simple dressing with lemon juice, olive oil salt and pepper. Or a simple dressing of garlic, Dijon mustard, red vine vinegar and olive oil. He looked at me puzzled. I realized that growing up for most of us we had iceberg lettuce, flavorless tomatoes and Wishbone Italian from a jar. We are living in such a great culinary time! The massive amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. I can only stress; use your imagination. I am a total veg-head and I am big on mixing anything in a salad. I love mixing colors, textures and flavors. I love adding apples. pears and grapes. I always make dressing, but there are some very fine bottled dressings in the markets now. I have given some of my best dressing recipes as well as some salads. Feel free to mix and match and make them your own. So go out and make an adventure in your produce section and then get out your favorite large bowl and have a salad party!

Honey Mustard Dressing
1-cup plain nonfat yogurt
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Combine yogurt, honey, mustard & cider vinegar in a jar. Tighten lid & shake until blended. Chill 30 minutes before serving.

Peanut Wasabi Vinaigrette
1/4cup rice vinegar
1/4-cup canola oil
1/4-cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Wasabi Paste
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 cloves fresh minced garlic


Combine all ingredients, stirring well to combine. Let stand for 45minutes.


Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon Maple Syrup
6-tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup Olive Oil
Fresh Ground pepper
Whisk all ingredients together and let stand for one hour.


Grilled Vegetable Salad with Buttermilk Balsamic

1 bunch asparagus
1 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 eggplant
1 red pepper, seeded
2 ears corn
1 small jicama, chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch arugula
1 head romaine
Salt and pepper


Lightly coat asparagus, zucchini, squash, eggplant, pepper and corn with olive oil.. Heat cast iron grill pan over high heat. Grill vegetables until tender. Toss arugula and romaine leaves with jicama and Tomatoes. With buttermilk balsamic dressing e in a bowl. Arrange on platter and top with grilled vegetables. You can top with ground pepper, shaved Parmesan or crumbled goat cheese.

Buttermilk Balsamic Dressing


3 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1-cup well-shaken low-fat buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup Balsamic
1-cup olive oil


Whisk together all ingredients until well mixed. Let Stand for one hour. , About 1 hour.

Gwen’s Caesar
In small bowl whisk together-
1 egg
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-tablespoon anchovy paste

Then add,
Juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Up to 3 cloves of garlic to taste
2 teaspoon dried thyme

In a steady stream add
1/2-cup olive oil
2 cups canola oil



If you would like, add a few shakes of pepper or a dash of Tabasco sauce. If you like a stronger flavor or are not keen on the anchovy paste, a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce works wonders.
Fill a large salad bowl with lettuce. The traditional Caesar lettuce is Romaine. I like to add spinach and radicchio for flavor and color. Mix in croutons (see below) shaved or grated Parmesan and then toss in the dressing. Go lightly the worst Caesars are the ones that are over-dressed. Taste as you go. For variation you can add cherry tomatoes or toasted pine nuts, both are tasty and add a little pizzazz.
Croutons
Truly, you can use any kind of bread, seasoning and oil. I will give you the basic, but again - go for it and make it your own.
1 baguette (long loaf of French or sour dough bread)
Olive oil to coat
Pinch of Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Slice baguettes into quarter inch slices. Place in large bowl. Toss with oil until well coated. Add salt and pepper. Place on a cookie sheet in single layer rows and bake at 350 until golden brown, about 20 minutes.


The Cobb Salad

Another one of the culinary legends is The Cobb salad. It is hard to believe that something so wonderful could have been so carelessly concocted, but I guess that is the gift of creating. It seems that in the 20’s at the super hot, super trendy Hollywood hangout The Brown Derby manager Bill Cobb was board. The menu consisted of mainly heavy grilled meats. He really wanted a “light meal!!!!” so he tossed some things into a bowl!!!! I can’t even imagine a “light salad” consisting of bacon cheese and avocado. While there have been many variations mine stays pretty close to the original. And of coarse you can add or delete any thing you like.

1 large or 2 small heads of romaine, finely chopped
2 heads of Boston lettuce, finely chopped
1 bunch of watercress, finely chopped
1 pound bacon cooked and crumbled
3 ripe avocados, chopped
3 pounds chicken breasts, poached, and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1-bunch scallions, sliced
2 shallots, minced
1-cup red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 cups olive oil
1 cup Blue cheese, finely chopped

In a large salad bowl toss together the romaine, Boston lettuce and watercress. In a small food processor mix shallots, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a slow stream, mixing until the dressing until it is emulsified. Pour into a bowl and stir in blue cheese. Pour it over the lettuce, and toss the salad well.

Savory Pies

Even though the Southern California weather might be calling for BBQ’s, my food clock is calling for savory pies! These pies are amazing and great with a salad and travel well for potlucks. They bring me such comfort and joy and kids love them as well as the adults. The caramelized onion tarts can be made as a show stopping large pie made in a 9-inch tart pan or minis as I have them in the recipe, served as an appetizer. Using the pastry recipe for the tart and doubling it for the Chicken Pot Pie. If you want a nice flaky crust don’t skip freezing the butter, using ice water and chilling the dough before rolling. You can even chill it over night. I don’t believe in violence in the kitchen so no need to whack the dough with a rolling pin. Many chefs say this is how to get a workable consistency, but gently rolling it using your body weight works better.


Mini Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2-teaspoon salt
1/2-cup butter (Grated and left frozen for 1/2 hour)
Up to 6 Tablespoons ice water
1 Large loaf goat’s cheese
Caramelized Onion Mixture

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are the size of rice. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over part of the flour mixture and stir very gently with a fork, Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat using 2 tablespoons of water (up to6) until all the dough is moistened. Divide dough in half. Form each into a ball and press into a disk. Wrap in plastic and let stand in the refrigerator for one hour. Roll out on a floured cutting board about 1/4 inch thick. Using a small circular cookie cutter cut the dough and place in sprayed mini muffin tins pushing them up the side. Bake in a pre heated 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes until golden. Let cool. When ready to serve line mini tarts on a cookie sheet. Add about 1-teaspoon onion mixture and 1-teaspoon goats cheese to each tart and bake in a preheated 350 oven until cheese is melted. About 10 minutes.


Caramelized Onion Mixture
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons Sugar
2 Large Onions, thinly sliced

In a large skillet melt the butter. Add the onions and sauté until incorporated with the butter. Sprinkle sugar over them and continue caramelizing until brown and tender about 15 minutes.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 lb. Chicken breast, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, thinly sliced
1-cup peas
1/2-cup butter
1 onion - chopped
1/3-cup flour
2/3-cup milk
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Double Recipe of Onion Tart Pie Crust

Place chicken, carrots, and celery in a saucepan. Pour just enough water over to cover all. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until meat is cooked through. Add peas to pot and simmer for 1 minute. Drain water from pan set aside meat and vegetables. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft; stir in flour; slowly whisk in stock and milk, salt, pepper. Bring to a rolling boil and then reduce to simmer until thick; remove from heat; set aside. Center one pie crust in a lightly greased 9" pie plate; spread cooked chicken and vegetables evenly into crust; pour prepared sauce into crust. Center second piecrust over pie; fold over edges and pinch with a fork to seal; and prick holes in top of crust. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.


Shepard’s Pie

1 1/4 pound ground beef
1-tablespoon olive oil
3 carrots, diced
1-cup mushrooms, sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
1-cup peas
1 cup frozen corn
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1/2-teaspoon allspice
1-tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 pound potatoes peeled and cubed
1/2-cup sour cream
1-cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Add potatoes to boiling water. Cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with sour cream. Add olive oil to a skillet and heat. Cook beef, onions, mushrooms and garlic until no pink remains in beef and vegetables are softened. Add carrots, peas, celery and corn. Cook until vegetables are softened. Mix cornstarch and wine. Add to beef and vegetables. Add Dijon mustard,salt, pepper and allspice. Mix well and cook until gravy has thickened. Put meat and vegetable mixture in a 2-quart casserole. Cover with mashed potatoes. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Then sprinkle the cheese over the top and cook for 10minutes longer.

Mardi Gras

Thirteen Years ago on Fat Tuesday I went into labor after eating a massive Cajun meal! My daughter Emma Rose was born on Ash Wednesday at 4:44. A.m. This time of year I always crave red beans and rice! My friend Barry Cooper is one of the best Southern/Cajun chefs I know. His slow, sensuous approach to food is just how I think of cooking on the Bayou. His corn Maque Choux is one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted. I have learned so much about this type of cooking from him. If you are in the mood for something to do with the kids, making French Beignets can be a Mardi Gras blast! I usually make up to the point of rising, and when we are ready to go I roll out and let the kids have a blast. The traditional way is to cut out in ribbons and then to squares, but I let the kids use cookie cutters or cut out whatever fun shapes they like. I also keep the kids way away from the deep-frying. I think with all that is happened in New Orleans this year it is a great time to have a party and celebrate life and those you love.

Red Beans and Rice
1 pound red beans
4 tablespoons oil
2 Medium onions chopped fine
1 green bell pepper
2-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon black pepper
1/2-teaspoon red pepper
1/2-teaspoon white pepper
2 cups chopped scallions
1 cup chopped parsley
2 smoked ham hocks (or salt pork)
2 pounds andouille sausages
3 garlic cloves
1-teaspoon sugar

Mahatma Brand Rice
3people per dry cup
Tabasco
3 bay leaves
Soak beans over night, and then drain saving the water. In a big pot over medium heat sauté’ onion, bell pepper, garlic and sausages. Then add beans, 1-cup scallions, and all seasonings and cover plus one inch with reserved bean water. Add ham hocks and bring to a hard boil. Lower to medium heat. Stir occasionally for 2 hours. (Add water if drying out) Take out 3 cups of beans and mash them up and put back into the pot. Garnish with scallions and parsley and serve over rice.


Shrimp Creole
3 pounds, peeled, deveined shrimp
1/4-cup butter
6 tablespoons flour
16 oz can of tomato sauce
1 chopped onion
3 stalks chopped celery
1 chopped bell pepper
8 cloves chopped garlic
1/2-cup hot water
Juice of one lemon
4 bay leaves
1/2-teaspoon sugar
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup green onions

In a heavy pot melt butter. Sauté all seasonings until tender (about 5 minutes.) Add flour and blend well. Add tomato sauce, hot water and sugar. Cook over medium heat approximately 30 minutes. Season to taste. Add shrimp and cook 30 minutes longer.


Corn Maque Choux (otherwise known as Smothered corn ya dern fool)
. It is also a great side for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, …for that matter any time you want to be a darn fool. The keys to the dish are “spicy”, “sweet” and “rich.” So before serving, adjust all three of these elements if needed with additional cayenne pepper, sugar and butter. Some people make it even richer by adding a well-beaten raw egg and some evaporated milk. (Not sweetened, condensed milk.) Some people also combine this dish with boneless chunks of chicken, and serve over rice as a main dish.


7 cups fresh corn off the cob or frozen corn kernels (appox. 18 ears-More trouble than it is worth)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped very fine
1 green pepper chopped very fine
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups pork or chicken stock
1/8 to 1/4 cup sugar (to taste)
1/2-teaspoon thyme
1/2-teaspoon basil or 2 bay leaves (you’re choice, but not both)
1/2-teaspoon paprika
1/2-teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4-teaspoon black or white pepper
2 tablespoons cream
3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced parsley
4 tablespoons butter
Cut corn from cob by cutting down through the kernels, then scraping the pulp. Sauté’ the onion and pepper in oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and seasonings. If using fresh corn wait until the bottom forms a crust before stirring. If it is sticking excessively, thin with stock. Add remaining ingredients, including 1 cup of the stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a very low temperature. Simmer covered, 30-45 minutes, stirring to make the flavors blend.


Corn Bread
1-cup buttermilk
2 eggs, well beaten
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1-cup flour
1-teaspoon baking powder
1/2-teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar.
Spray a 9-inch square pan with bakers joy. Combine buttermilk, eggs and butter. In a medium bowl mix cornmeal, flour baking powder, sugar and salt. Stir in the buttermilk mixture until just mixed. The batter may be a bit lumpy. Pour into the greased pan. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes until the top of the bread is golden brown.

Jalapeno Cornbread
Great flavor with a nice kick!!!
4 eggs
1-cup buttermilk
2 cups corn, fresh, frozen or canned
2 sticks melted butter
4 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
2 cups cornmeal, blue, yellow or white
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Mix in a large bowl. Spray a loaf pan with bakers joy. Bake at 350 for about one hour or until golden on top.



Rice Pudding
5 eggs beaten
3 cups sugar
6 cups milk
2 cups cooked rice
1-tablespoon vanilla
1-tablespoon nutmeg
1-cup raisins (optional)
In a double broiler, heat milk over medium heat until hot. (Do not boil.) Add eggs and sugar, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add vanilla, nutmeg and rice. Blend well. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cool.



Lemon Meringue Pie
1 1/2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1/12 cups water
1/3-cup cornstarch
6 tablespoons butter
5 eggs, separated
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 baked 9- inch pie shell (page)

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and salt with butter, egg yolks and water. Heat over low heat until well dissolved. In small bowl blend cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water. Add to hot mixture. Heat over low heat for five minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and rind. Cool slightly and pour into baked pie shell.

Meringue
2/3-cup sugar
5 egg whites
1/4-teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tarter, constantly beating. Add salt and sugar, gradually until peaks form. Ice pie with meringue. Brown 10 minutes at 375.



French Beignets
5 cups all purpose flour
2 sticks butter
1 package yeast
1/2-cup sugar
1-cup milk
4 large eggs at room temperature

In a large bowl, put 5 cups of flour. In the middle of the flour, make a well. In the well, place the yeast and one teaspoon sugar. Dilute 2 sticks butter in 1-cup milk. Warm up and add to flour and yeast. Beat 4 eggs slightly and add to flour mixture. Work dough until smooth and elastic. More flour may be added to bring it to the right consistency. Work dough for 5-7 minutes. Make ball and place in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place a towel over the bowl.
Let rise until it doubles in size. Roll out with a rolling pin to the thickness of pie dough in the shape of a rectangle. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut ribbons about 2 inches thick, and then cut into squares. Fry in Crisco drain on a paper towel and sprinkle with powder sugar.

And the award for classiest party goes to…

This time of year we are inundated with award shows. What an amazing excuse to share an evening withy friends and family and celebrate creativity!
Over the years I have had many kinds of award show parties. When I was pregnant I had a pajama viewing party. For several years I created menus themed to the nominated films and songs. There are so many ways to have fun with the food and activities. I think that a pool is the key. Everyone kicks in an agreed amount. Even a couple of dollars is fun. It just makes the stakes a little more personal. Even doing fun activities like filming the party or burning a CD with each guest’s favorite songs. Mostly I look at it as a chance to dress up and have a high styling really good time. I have a TV in the kitchen and like to tray pass some hors d'oeuvers. If you want a party where everything is ready and you can just watch the show substitute the coconut shrimp with a shrimp cocktail. Play with cheeses, breads and dips. Be bold. I love to mix and match different flavors. Use some of your fun serving pieces that sit around collecting dust! Fill up on the festivities! What ever kind of party you have use your imagination to and allow all of you guests to be creative and celebrate life!

Zely’s Famous Hot Artichoke Dip

1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cup sour cream
1/2-cup mayo
1 can non-marinated artichokes (coarsely chopped)
4 Cloves garlic
2 Tablespoon chopped dill
Salt
Pepper
Few dashes Worchester sauce

Throw it all in a bowl mix it up. Put in baking dish and cook uncovered at 350 until it is bubbly and brown (about 35 minutes.) Serve with crackers, crusty bread or crudity. I must admit my favorite way to serve it is using a small round loaf of bread and turn it in to a bread bowl by cutting off the top of the loaf and scooping out the bread (save it for dipping.) Just pour the dip into the bread bowl and again bake until bubbly and golden brown. For larger gatherings (This is such a hit that I would do this for anything over 4!!!!!) double the recipe and use a large round loaf. I also buy a little extra bread and slice it as it goes fast.




Noni’s Olive Tapenade
4 Large Garlic Cloves
2 Cups pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured olives
4 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons drained capers
1teaspoon each fresh chopped rosemary, thyme
3 tablespoons lemon juice
5 tablespoons olive oil
Rinse the olives in cold water. (this makes the tapenade less salty) Finely chop garlic cloves in food processor. Add 1/2 the olives, anchovies, capers, thyme and rosemary. Process until almost smooth. Add the lemon juice. With machine running gradually add olive oil. Blend mixture until smooth. Then coarsely chop the remaining cup of olives and mix in. Season tapenade to taste with pepper. Transfer to small bowl.
Serve with toasted French bread.


Roasted Eggplant and Garlic dip-
4 small heads of garlic
1 large eggplant
1/4-cup olive oil
1-teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 450
Separate garlic cloves without peeling and tightly wrap together in foil. Prick eggplant with a fork. In a shallow baking dish, roast garlic and eggplant in middle of oven until very tender. About 45 minutes.
Unwrap the garlic and peel, transferring to a food processor. Scrape the flesh from eggplant into the food processor, discarding the skin. Purée mixture until smooth and with motor running, add oil and vinegar until combined. Season dip with salt and pepper and serve with pita bread.


Fresh Mozzarella Balls
16 Tiny Mozzarella balls (baconcini)
1/2-cup flour seasoned with dried thyme
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 egg
Canola or peanut oil for frying

Heat 2 inches of oil in deep fry pan or electric wok to 375. Dry off Mozzarella balls thoroughly using paper towels. Dip in the flour then the egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Deep-fry the balls for 1 minute or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with spicy Marinara sauce.


Shrimp with Coconut

3 Pounds Shrimp
3 cups shredded coconut (on a plate)
2 cups pancake mix
1 cup orange juice
1/2-cup coconut milk (more to thin the batter)
2 eggs
1-teaspoon cayenne pepper

Peanut oil for frying
Set deep fryer or wok for 375. In a bowl mix pancake mix, eggs O.J. coconut milk and cayenne pepper. Holding by the tail dip each shrimp into the batter, roll in the coconut and drop into bubbling oil. Do not over crowed the fryer; cooking several batches as necessary. Fry until shrimp are golden brown; about 3 minutes. (Don’t over cook, as the shrimp gets tough). Drain on a brown bag. Serve hot.




Tiny crab cakes with Remoulade Sauce
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 small red onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 green bell pepper, minced
3/4-cup fine breadcrumbs
1/2-teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Mix all above ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Shape the crab mixture into 24 small cakes. In a heavy skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Sauté the crab cakes for 5 minutes per side until golden brown.

1 egg
2 egg yolks
2 dill pickles, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons balsamic
3-tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup minced parsley
Fresh pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. With it still running, pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream to make a thick sauce. Dollop over crab cakes.

Veggie moon rolls
This is a great addition to a party. I love the flavor and they are always a big hit. It is a great balance and is enjoyed by vegetarian friends as well as non-vegetarians. These are similar to traditional egg rolls, but so much less fussy. They were created by a major disaster when a tray of uncooked egg rolls dumped in my car on the way to a party in Malibu. We had noticed a Chinese restaurant so I sent someone to buy egg roll wrappers while I scraped the stuffing from the disinagrated and smashed wrappers. The restaurant was only willing to sell us the round pot sticker wrappers. We figured out how to stuff them and the guest just flipped. We have never made them the old way since then and they are always a big hit.
1-tablespoon olive oil
1-teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch of sea salt
1-cup carrots
1 each red and yellow bell peppers,
Halved and sliced
1 1/2 cups snow peas, thinly sliced
1 cup green cabbage, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1-teaspoon fresh ginger
1/4-cup fresh cilantro
2-teaspoon sake
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4-cup hosin sauce
1-tablespoon chili sauce
1-package pot sticker wrappers
1 egg, beaten

Heat wok over high heat until very hot. Add oil and salt, then garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute and then add the rest of the veggies and cook about 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a bowl and add sake, vinega,hosing sauce, chili sauce and cilantro.
To make moon rolls, place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper. Using your fingers or a pastry brush spread egg all around the edges. Fold in half and pinch the edges tightly. The look like little half moons! Heat 3 cups of canola or peanut oil on high heat. Drop egg rolls in batches of 3 and cook for one minute.
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Dipping Sauce

3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/2 cup orange marmalade
4 Tablespoon rice vinegar (and/or sake)
Using enough liquid to make a smooth, but not runny, consistency.
Serve with: Chinese hot mustard
And let everyone make their own dipping sauce by blending the two together.

Chicken Satay with peanut sauce
I created this sauce to go with chicken satay for cocktail parties. I am pretty adventurous when it comes to creating menus for parties. If a client says that they want something or if a certain combination of food sounds good to me, I’m always up for trying it. Most caterers would never sell something that they have never made before, but I so love the process of creating new things. It also keeps me on my toes! This sauce evolved through many parties. The thing was that people loved it, but it wasn’t quite right to me. There was even one party in Malibu (about one hour from my kitchen) Where I realized that I left the sauce in my fridge. On a wing and a prayer and a client’s well-stocked kitchen I whipped up a replacement sauce. It was a huge hit and to my surprise the hostess asked me to make it again for another event! Because I added a little of this and a little of that I knew that I could not replicate it! I was a little nervous considering I had never been completely happy with my sauce. I voiced my concern to my sous chef and she said not to worry that they would say, “I can’t believe that this sauce is even better than the wonderful last one.” It was in that moment that the thought of doing it a saucepan and not in the food processor was born. I realized that it was not the flavor of the sauce that I was not happy with, but the consistency. I thought that warming the peanut butter would open it up enough to meld with the rest of he flavors and be the perfect texture. The guests and the hostess flipped at the party and it has been loved by many ever since.
Makes 48 Skewers
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-teaspoon curry powder
1/2-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon cumin
1-teaspoon pepper
1/4-cup olive oil
Soak 48 6-inch bamboo skewers s in cold water for one hour. In a small bowl combine curry, salt cumin, pepper and olive oil. Place each breast in between plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thick. Cut breasts into 48 3x1 inch strips. Thread one skewer into each chicken strip and place in a jellyroll pan. Spoon marinade over each skewer, turning to coat well. Place in the refrigerator for one hour. (You can do this the day ahead and cover with plastic. Using a stovetop grill, arrange skewers along each side of the grill making sure that the bare ends of the skewers do not get burnt by the flame. Grill on Medium-high heat until golden brown about 3 minutes per side.




Peanut sauce
2 cups peanut butter
1/2-cup fresh limejuice
1/2-cup fresh orange juice
1/4-cup soy sauce
1/4-cup rice vinegar
1/2-cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons crushed pepper
2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
1/2cup fresh cilantro

Mince the garlic and ginger. Coarsely chop the peanuts. In a medium sauce pan over low heat add the peanut butter, limejuice, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, peanuts and red pepper. (You can add half first if you are shy about the kick.) Taste the sauce and add more soy and peppers to your taste. Remove from heat. Add the fresh cilantro just before serving. You can either serve it warm or at room tempture.


Beef Sate with Horse Radish Sauce
Makes 48 skewers
2 pounds New York or fillet Steak, trimmed
3/4cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak 48 6-inch bamboo skewers in water for one hour. Cut the steak into 48 3inch x 1-inch strips. Stick a skewer into each strip lengthwise and arrange on a baking pan. Whisk together oil, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Drizzle over the meat and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight. Heat the grill or stovetop grill to medium high. Arrange the skewer of steak on the grill so that the sticks do not touch the flame. Grill until medium rare about one minute per side.




Horse Radish Dipping sauce
1 16-ounce tub sour cream
6 tablespoon prepared horseradish (or to taste)
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Whisk together in a small bowl. Add pepper to taste.