Spanish Chorizo Croquettes

Spanish Chorizo Croquettes

 

4 T. flour

3 T. European butter

1 cup cream

1/4 cup Manchengo cheese, cubed very tiny

1/3 cup Spanish chorizo, cubed very tiny

Melt the butter in a small heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cream and whisk until completely blended. Take off the heat and fold in the cheese and chorizo. Pour the sauce on a plate to cool for about an hour. Shape into 1" balls. Cool again if necessary. Roll in an egg wash (beaten eggs and cream) and breadcrumbs. Refrigerate until time to cook.

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Fry the balls until golden brown. (about 2-3 minutes depending on how hot the oil is) Serve immediately.

Italian Sausage

4 lbs. pork butt (well-marbled), cut into 1/2" pieces

1 lb. bacon, cut into 2" pieces

8 T. minced garlic

3 T. paprika

3 T. toasted fennel seeds, ground and 2 T. whole fennel seed

2 T. sea salt

2 T. cracked black pepper

2 tsp. cayenne

3 T. minced fresh parsley

4 minced green onions

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup water

2 T. vinegar

Freeze the pork and bacon for about 20 minutes so that it will easily go thru the meat grinder. Combine the pork butt, bacon, garlic paprika, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, cayenne, anise, parsley and red wine in a large bowl and toss well to coat. Refrigerate over-night. (Gary does not do this)

Pass the mixture thru a meat grinder fitted w/ a medium die. Test the sausage to adjust seasoning by heating a skillet w/ a little oil and cooking a little patty.

Using the sausage attachment, stuff the meat into the casings and twist every 4" or use in recipe as directed.

Easy Bread

  3 cups all purpose flour

  1 1/2 cups water

 1/2 teaspoon yeast

 1 1/4 teaspoon salt

 Mix all in bowl until just wet.  Cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter over night.  The next day, gently pour out batter on a heavily floured surface.  Gently fold it onto itself 4 times.  Sprinkle a 1/2 cup of wheat germ on to a towel.  Place dough in towel.  Sprinkle more bran on top of loaf.   Cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours.  Preheat oven to highest temp 450 or 500.  Heat a Dutch oven (with cover) or heavy pot (with cover) on stove to get real hot.  Gently pick up bread and place in pot with folds upwards.  Cover.  Bake 30 minutes with cover on.  Remove cover and cook another 15 minutes.  Let it completely cool before cutting.  

Here is a video

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/11/07/dining/1194817104184/no-knead-bread.html?emc=eta1



Full Moon

It's a full moon....

The Encounter

We had a very relaxing day. It began with an early morning rain shower which gave way to a lazy afternoon. Our most pressing concern was dinner.  We had made reservations for a recommended favorite restaurant on the island, but Chef Remy had such a profound affect on us the night before that we canceled our itinerary and by 5:30 found ourselves in South Coast Bar and Grill. We wanted to see if Chef could surprise us again, and we dared him to bring it on!!

I was a little surprised at the building:  small with very few parking spots. I was even more perplexed walking through the front door. South Coast looked more like a local hang-out than the white cloth quiet place I expected. Not that I was expecting the Ritz but, as evidenced Wednesday night, Chef Remy can cook with the best. In Houston, he could own one of those small home/restaurants in the Heights with 20 flickering tables in white and 40 foreign-accented waiters in black...and ludicrous prices!!

We found our way to an outside table on one of two baconies overlooking a breathtaking view: a dimming orange sunset with aqua blue-splashing waves leaving white mist on the coral below. It was then we realized we had a shot at one heck of a meal!

Thursday night is Lobster Night at South Coast...really, need I say more?  Sista and I got the pre-fixed while the boys went their own direction, pork...pasta...and lots of moaning. It took us all the way to 7th heaven.  Lest I drone on with a thousand words more, please allow my pictures to tell you the rest of my story.

South Coast Bar and Grill

Check out Chef Remy's restaurant at:

www.southcoastbar.com

Chef Remy

We were privileged to have a local chef serve us last night! Chef Remy was effortless orchestrating this incredible experience! He served us 4 courses of local delicacies:

Appetizer:
Seared Tuna and Sliced Papaya with Seaweed Cucumber Salad and Wasabi Fish Roe

First Main Course:
Grilled Lamb Chop marinated in a Garlic Cilantro Lime Pesto with Roasted White, Red and Purple Fingerling Potatoes served with Green and White Asparagus Spears

Second Main Course:
Grilled Lobster and Salmon with a Mango Chutney served with Broccoli Raab

Dessert:
Molten Chocolate Cakes with Raspberries and Strawberries

It was an experience of a lifetime!! Thank you Chef!