Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder

Chowder comes from the Latin word calderia, which meant ‘cooking pot.’ or  ‘cauldron.’ Vegetables or fish stewed in a cauldron became known as chowder.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
  • Fresh kernels from 3 – 4 ears of corn
  • 1 tsp. sweet paprika
  • 2 – 3 cups diced potatoes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Chopped scallions, for garnish (optional)
Corn ChowderHeat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until its soft, then add the red bell pepper and cook for another five minutes.
Remove the kernels from the corn and add to the pot. Add the paprika and diced potatoes and blend. Cook for five minutes. Then add the chicken broth and parsley.Corn ChowderBring to a boil, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 – 20 minutes.  Put one cup of the soup into a blender and blend until creamy then return it to the pot and stir. Pour in the milk and simmer for five minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped scallions.Corn Chowder
Two variations –
  1. Replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian dish.
  2. Replace two cups of the chicken broth with clam broth and add canned or fresh clams for corn clam chowder. Also add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a teaspoon of Tobassco.

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Greek Yogurt Chicken Cutlets

Greek Yogurt Chicken Cutlets

This is a different take on breaded chicken cutlets. Instead of an egg wash for the breading you use yogurt and the scallions and onion powder give it a nice tang.
Greek Yogurt Chicken CutletsIngredients:
  • 1 lb. chicken cutlets or chicken breasts cut into cutlets
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 8 oz. Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup chopped scallions
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 cups plain breadcrumbs
  • Olive oil as needed for frying
  • lemon for serving
Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and black pepper.
Mix the yogurt, scallions, onion powder and a dash of salt and black pepper together in a bowl large enough to hold the chicken. Add the chicken and mix to coat it with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.Greek Yogurt Chicken Cutlets

Bring chicken to room temperature. Scrape off any excess marinade and press the chicken into the breadcrumbs, coating both sides. Allow the breaded cutlets 20 minutes to rest before frying.Greek Yogurt Chicken Cutlets

Heat the oil to medium-high and fry the cutlets until lightly browned – about 5 minutes per side. Cook in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Drain them on paper towels and serve with lemon slices.

. . .  and a chicken cutlet  sandwich.

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Reverse Seared Steak

Reverse Seared Steak

I’ve heard about this method of cooking a steak and decided to give it a try. The standard for a thick steak is, sear the steak and finish cooking it in the oven. As the name implies, this reverses that. Don’t try this unless you steak is at least 1 ½ inches thick. I’m using a 2-inch rib eye.
Reverse Seared Steak
Ingredients:
  • 1 steak (at least 1 ½ in. thick and your choice of cut)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 1 crushed clove garlic – optional
  • 1 sprig of rosemary – optional
Season the steak with salt and pepper, the edges too. Place it on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place it uncovered in the refrigerator overnight to dry out. This step is optional but do it if you have time.
Preheat the oven to anywhere between 200 and 275°F (93 and 135°C). The lower you go, the more evenly the meat will cook.
Put the baking sheet, rack, and room temperature steak in the oven, and roast until it reaches an internal temperature about 10 to 15°F below the final temperature at which you’d like to serve the meat. Time in the oven is about 20 minutes for rare. 
Reverse Seared Steak
After 20 minutes in a 250 degree F. oven.


When you take the steak out of the oven, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan on a very high heat. When the pan is hot begin searing the steak. Holding it with tongs, start with the the edges. Lay the steak down and add the butter (and garlic/rosemary, if using). Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter over the steak. Flip the steak and do the other side. This should take only about 35-40 seconds per side for a good sear.
Reverse Seared Steak
Reverse Seared Steak

Slice and serve the steak. It’s not necessary to rest the steak before cutting if you’re using the reverse sear method.Reverse Seared Steak

Steak Internal Cooking Temperatures
Reverse Seared Steak
Some other steak cooking methods here

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Mississippi Pot Roast

Mississippi Pot Roast

I saw this on a YouTube video  by Emmy Cho  and it looked interesting. It’s a different and maybe a little strange combination of ingredients but the result is great and it’s very easy easy to put together. 

Mississippi Pot Roast

Ingredients:
  • 1  2-3 lb. chuck roast
  • 1 pack au jus gravy mix
  • 1 pack ranch dressing
  • ½ 12 oz. jar of pepperoncini and brine
  • 1 stick of butter
  • Salt and black pepper

Place the chuck roast in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the packets of au jus and ranch on top of it. Pour half the brine and half the jar of peppers into the cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Put in a stick of butter and cook on low for 8 hours.Mississippi Pot Roast


Mississippi Pot Roast


Pull it apart with two forks and serve with potatoes, noodles or rice. Mississippi Pot Roast


Here’s the New York Times article on the  origin  of Mississippi Pot Roast. Mississippi Pot Roast


. . .  and here’s Emmy Cho’s video. Mississippi Pot Roast

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