New year brings old recipes
New Year's Resolutions to Self:
1. Try to be more compassionate toward our political leaders and put myself in their straightjackets — I mean shoes — once in awhile.
2. Try to do things on a timelier basis (my editor made me put that one in).
3. Try to respond better to requests in both my professional and personal life.
4. Try to be ... OK, who am I kidding? I am already late in writing this, and I'm sitting here with a stack of recipe requests (some of which date back to the earliest written language), and all I have going through my head are bad political jokes. Like: Donald Rumsfeld, Vladimir Putin, and a bum who looks like he hasn't seen clean clothes, a shower, or deodorant since "Welcome Back Kotter" was on prime time walk into a bar. The bartender yells out, "Hey, I told you before not to come in here until you're respectable!" Then the bum says, "It's all right, they're with me."
OK, I won't give up my day job, and although I'm looking for more food questions, preferably in a modern language, let me get some of these old requests off my desk.
QUESTION: Chef Jim, you did a recipe with tortilla-crusted salmon. Please send it to me. Also, can I substitute other fish in this recipe?
ANSWER: Jeremy, you sound like a good Jersey Boy: "Yo, Cheffy, you did a job with a salmon and some tortillas, remember? Now I need you to do me a favor ..." I certainly won't turn you down. Here's the recipe, and you can substitute other fish, but the cooking times may vary.
QUESTION: I saw you demonstrate Honey Rolls on TV, and couldn't find the recipe anywhere. Do you remember it? If so, please send.ANSWER: I can't remember what I had for breakfast. Hey, how did I get here? I hope this is what you are looking for.
QUESTION: A friend made a recipe for chocolate bars from your book. Can I please get that recipe?
ANSWER: Sure,
you can get the recipe when you get the book. Just kidding — enjoy!
<b>Fire roasted corn salsa</b>4 ears fresh corn, roasted under broiler and kernels cut off6 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut into small dice1 jalapeno pepper, oiled, broiled until blistered, seeds removed, and cut into small dice1 tomato, cut into medium dice1 red bell pepper, cut into small dice1 green bell pepper, cut into small dice1 ounce (¾ cup) finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves½ cup fresh lime juice2 cloves garlic, mincedHot pepper sauce to tasteSalt and freshly ground black pepper to tasteMix together all ingredients; allow to stand for 4 hours before serving.<b>Tortilla crusted salmon</b>½ pound corn tortillas4 (6-ounce) salmon filets2 cups all-purpose flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper6 eggs, beaten with cup water for egg washCanola oil for fryingArrange tortillas on a non-stick baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until crisp. Leave the oven on. Let tortillas cool. Grind tortillas in a blender or food processor to make very fine crumbs. Place salmon, skin side up, into seasoned flour, then dip in egg wash.Finally, coat in tortilla crumbs (coating one side only). Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place salmon, tortilla side down, into hot oil. Pan-fry until crust sets and a little browning occurs. Drain off oil and flip salmon.Bake salmon for 8-10 minutes, or until desired doneness. Heat salsa in a skillet until hot and spoon over salmon before serving.
<b>Rolls</b>1 cup milk½ cup light olive oil2 tablespoons honey3 cups all-purpose flour1 package active dry yeast1 teaspoon salt2 eggs (reserve one egg white for topping)<b>Topping</b>¼ cup sugar2 tablespoons soft butter2 tablespoons honey1 egg whiteTo make the rolls, heat the milk, olive oil, and honey over medium heat in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. In a large bowl, blend 1½ cups flour, yeast, salt, eggs, and warm milk mixture. With dough hooks on an electric mixer, beat 3 minutes, then add the remaining 1 cups flour and mix for about 2 more minutes until all is blended. Dough will be soft and sticky. Cover and let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size.Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Punch down dough, and knead 30 seconds. Using a tablespoon-size scoop, drop dough tablespoon by tablespoon into a single evenly spaced layer in the prepared pans — about 10 tablespoons per pan.Combine topping ingredients and drizzle half of the mixture over the rolls. Cover, let rise again in a warm place until doubled in size. Drizzle remaining topping over rolls and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan and serve.Makes 20 rolls.
1 cup unsalted butter, softened½ cup white sugarcup brown sugar, firmly packed1 teaspoon real vanilla extract2 eggs2 cups all purpose flour, sifted1 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt2 cups chocolate chips1 cup chopped pecansIn a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the eggs and beat well. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Blend into the egg mixture, adding chips and nuts.Spread into a buttered 12 by 7 inch baking sheet with sides. Bake, in a preheated 350-degree oven, for 25 minutes, or until the bars are set and browned on top. Allow to cool on rack before slicing into bars or diamonds.
