Category: Dave’s Blog

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

1 fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces or 4 legs and 4 thighs, which is what I like. (be sure and leave the skin on for a wonderful crispy crust)

2 cups buttermilk

A few dashes of hot sauce. I like Crystal Louisiana hot sauce.

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons paprika

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup flour, for dredging

vegetable oil, for frying

1. Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk and hot sauce.

2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

3. Drain chicken in a colander.

4. Combine salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder onion powder, poultry seasoning and cayenne pepper.

5. Liberally season chicken with this mixture.

6. Then, dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess (by seasoning before you flour, you trap the seasoning under the flour coating, and you use a lot less seasoning than if you tried to put it in the flour and hope it catches on the chicken).

7. Use enough oil to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan.

8. Raise heat to 325 degrees F.

9. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.

10. Place chicken skin side down into the pan.

11. Put thighs in the center (they take longer to cook and can use the extra center heat), and breast and legs around the edge of the pan.

12. The oil should come half way up the pan once the chicken is added.

13. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10-12 minutes per side.

14. The internal temperature should be right around 170-175 degrees for dark meat, 165 for breasts.

15. (Be careful to monitor temperature every few minutes).

16. Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan, NOT on paper towels or brown paper bags which just cause the chicken to soak in their own oil.

17. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it’s a gas oven, which is very moist and will ruin your beautiful chicken crust!

Beef Tips with Gravy over Noodles

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 pounds cubed chuck, tri-tip or sirloin

10 ½ ounces beef broth

10 ½ ounces onion soup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Cooked egg noodles, for serving

To Thicken Gravy:

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper and brown in small batches. Remove beef from the pot and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium, add remaining oil and onion. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add beef, broth, soup, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beef is fork tender.

To thicken gravy, combine cornstarch with 1/3 cup cold water. Pour into the beef a little at a time while stirring until it reaches desired consistency.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf and serve over cooked egg noodles.

You can also do this in a crock-pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Creamy Farfalle Pasta with Mushrooms and Sausage

1 lb farfalle pasta

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz of your favorite mushrooms, sliced or coarsely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Minced parsley and grated Parmesan, for serving

Cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente, in heavily salted water. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water when draining. Don’t rinse the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, heat a large saute pan over med/high heat and add olive oil.

Add sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, 10-12 minutes.

Add garlic and cook 1 minute, then add the mushrooms, stirring well. Continue to cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Add cream and about 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water (you can add more if needed as it cooks). Stir in the red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, parsley, and Parmesan. Cook until the sauce has thickened, adding more pasta water if needed.

Add the cooked pasta and toss well.

Top with a sprinkle of parsley and Parmesan to serve.

Beef Enchiladas

2 lbs Ground beef

1 (15 ounce) can Black beans, drained and rinsed

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/4 Onion, medium, chopped

1 tsp Oregano, dried

1 tbsp Parsley, dried

1 (4 ounce) can Black olives, sliced

1 1/2 tsp Chili powder

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 tbsp Taco seasoning

8 Flour or corn tortillas

1 1/4 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Sour cream

2 1/2 cups Enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Add garlic, onion, oregano, parsley, black pepper, chili powder, salt, and taco seasoning. Stir well to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add black beans and black olives to the skillet and stir to combine.

Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Take one tortilla and spoon 1/2 cup of beef filling into the center. Roll the tortilla tightly and place it seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas.

Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top of the enchiladas.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream on top.

Enjoy your delicious Best Beef Enchiladas!

Fried Ham Sandwich with Onions & Mushrooms

4 slices of your favorite bread

2 ounces leftover Easter ham, sliced thin

1 small onion, halved and sliced thin into half-moons

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced and sautéed

Mayonnaise & mustard

1⁄2 teaspoon butter

Melt butter in a large skillet or on a grill

Toss in onion and mushrooms and cook until translucent.

Add ham on top of onion and mushrooms and continue to warm on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

Flip over ham, onion and mushrooms, continue to warm for 2 more minutes.

Spread bread with mayonnaise and mustard, add warmed ham, onion and mushroom mixture.

Press down on the sandwich and give it a little smash.

Scotch Eggs with Creamy Mustard Sauce

1 pound breakfast or Italian sausage

6 eggs, hard-boiled and shelled

⅓ cup flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

cooking spray

Divide the sausage into 6 even portions. Flatten each portion into a thin patty. Place 1 hard-boiled egg in the middle of each patty and wrap sausage around eggs, sealing all sides. Set aside.

Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F.

Place flour in a small bowl, beaten eggs in another small bowl, and bread crumbs on a plate. Dip each sausage-wrapped egg into flour, then dip into beaten egg, letting the excess drip off. Roll in bread crumbs and place on a plate. Let them rest for a few minutes, to dry out.

Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange eggs in the basket in a single layer without overcrowding; cook in batches if necessary. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 12 minutes, turning eggs over halfway through. Repeat with remaining eggs.

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 1/4 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter.

Whisk in the flour; cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, until smooth and bubbling.

Add the salt and pepper, then add 1 cup of half-and-half a little at a time. Continue whisking until thickened, adding more half-and-half until the desired consistency is reached.

Add the mustard and parsley and whisk until combined.

Serve with the Scotch eggs and enjoy.

Bacon N Cheese Deviled Eggs

14 hard boiled eggs.

½ cup of mayonnaise.

½ cup of sour cream.

1 ½ tsp of Dijon mustard.

1 tsp of fresh lemon juice.

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce.

1/2 tsp soy sauce.

¼ tsp of black pepper.

⅓ cup of crumbled cooked bacon.

¼ cup of finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Light sprinkle of paprika.

2 tbsp of chopped fresh chives or scallion tops.

Remove the yolks to a medium bowl after slicing the eggs in half lengthwise. Chop 4 white halves finely.

Mash the yolks and add in mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and pepper and mix to combine. Add in chopped egg whites, bacon, cheese and chives and mix to combine.

Spoon 1 heaping tbsp of yolk mixture into the 24 white halves.

Cover, and refrigerate.

Caesar Salad From Scratch

3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups hearty bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup), divided

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon

2 to 6 anchovies (to taste)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup canola oil

2 heads romaine lettuce, inner leaves only, washed and carefully dried, large leaves torn into smaller pieces, smaller leaves left intact

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons olive oil with minced garlic and whisk for 30 seconds. Transfer to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and press with the back of a spoon to extract as much oil as possible, leaving garlic behind. Reserve pressed garlic separately. Add bread cubes to garlic oil and toss to coat.

Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, toss again, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until croutons are pale golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with 2 more tablespoons Parmesan. Allow to cool.

While croutons bake, make the dressing. Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, pressed garlic, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese in the bottom of a cup that just fits the head of an immersion blender or in the bottom of a food processor. With blender or processor running, slowly drizzle in canola oil until a smooth emulsion forms. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste generously with salt and pepper.

To serve, toss lettuce with a few tablespoons of dressing, adding more if desired. Once lettuce is coated, add half of remaining cheese and three-quarters of croutons and toss again. Transfer to a salad bowl and sprinkle with remaining cheese and croutons.

Chicken Tinga Tacos

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 white onion, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 cups chicken stock

One 14-ounce can tomato puree

1 oregano sprig

2 bay leaves

5 pounds bone in, skin on legs and/or thighs

Twelve 5-inch flour tortillas

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Kosher salt

Pepper

Cilantro, lime wedges and sliced onion, for serving

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook over moderately high heat until the onion is softened. Add the stock, tomato puree, oregano and bay leaves; bring to a boil. Add the chicken, cover partially and simmer until cooked, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred the meat and remove the skin. Return the meat to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat your tortillas to a slight char over a gas flame or on a grill.

Discard the bay leaves and oregano sprig. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve with cilantro, lime and onion.

Crab Cakes

Ingredients for 6-8 beautiful cakes, about 4 ounces each

2/3 cup mayonnaise

6 egg yolks

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons hot sauce (I like Crystal)

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon blackening seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup crushed, chopped parsley

2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

2 lbs crab meat

1.Mix all ingredients together.

2.Make into 4 oz. patties

3.Coat with flour and fry in 1 inch of oil until golden brown.