Category Archives: Recipe

Appetizer, Recipe

Hot Virginia Dip

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Hot Virginia Dip (Courtesy of the Virginia Hospitality Cookbook and the Junior League of Hampton Roads)

Original recipe:

1 cup pecans, chopped
2 tbsp butter (Unsalted)
16 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp milk
5 oz dried beef, minced
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 cup sour cream
4 tbsp onion, minced

Recipe as created above:

4 eight-ounce blocks of cream cheese, softened
16 oz cream cheese
10 oz dried beef, diced
4 tbsp milk
2 medium onions, diced
2 tbsp garlic salt
3 cups of pecan halves
1 stick unsalted butter

Either way you make the dish, the process is the same – I just needed to make it in much larger quantities.

In a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, diced dried beef, garlic salt, diced onion, and milk and using a stand (or hand) mixer, beat to combine thoroughly (this is most easily done if your mixer has a paddle type attachment.

Melt butter in a large saute pan. Add pecans and toss to coat. Continue to cook until just scorched (the original recipe just says to saute). This does not add a burnt flavour or taste, but does add a je ne sais quoi flavour to the topping.

The original recipe makes enough for a 1 1/2 qt baking dish; the larger recipe makes enough for a 3 qt baking dish.

Turn out the cream cheese mixture into the appropriately sized baking dish; cover with sauteed pecans. Place in a 350 oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with bread sticks, crackers, Wheat Thins or Triscuits.

(N.B. – This dip does reheat well, but is one of the very few things The Wannabe Gourmet has found that does not have a pleasing taste if served cold. A chafing dish (solid fuel, alcohol based, or even electric) works wonders, and for smaller amounts (1 1/2 quart), I’ve found that even the chafing dishes that are heated by votive candles alone will keep the dip at a sufficiently heated temperature for all to enjoy — it goes QUICKLY.)

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Main Course, Recipe

Chicken Picatta with Lemon and Pickled Peppercorns

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A little bit of a change from your traditional chicken picatta, using pickled peppercorns instead of capers (find them in your supermarket in the same area — normally next to the olives). They give a great flavour without adding heat. Please don’t be put off by the length of ingredients — it’s really a simple dish to create!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves pounded to 1/4″ thickness
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 egg
1 tbsp water
1 tsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter (separated)
2 lemons (one juiced, one cut into slices)
1 cup dry white wine (if you choose not to use alcohol in your cooking, you may substitute chicken stock)
4 tbsp pickled peppercorns (drained from brine)
cooked brown rice

In a shallow dish, beat egg and water until combined; set aside. In another shallow dish, add flour, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil and 2 tbsp of the butter. Once that has melted and begins to sizzle, dredge chicken first in the beaten egg (allow excess to drain off), then in flour mixture. Place in pan. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, or until brown and slightly springy to the touch. Once chicken has been cooked, remove pieces to a warmed serving platter and cover to keep warm. Take pan off the heat and add the wine. Place back over heat and allow to come to a slight bubble. Add juice of one lemon and the peppercorns. Allow to reduce slightly then remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Swirl until melted.

Serve by placing brown rice on your plate, then a chicken breast cutlet, a slice of lemon, and pour some of the peppercorn pan sauce over top. Add a green salad for a complete meal.

Serves: 4.

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Recipe, Seafood/Fish, Veggies

Saint-Jacques au four et legumes au wok

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Some might say it’s a bit pretentious of a name for “Baked Scallops and Stir-fried veggies,” but a dish with class deserves such a description!

1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2 lbs bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry
2/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a 9″ round dish, add melted butter, and scallops that have been drained, rinsed, and patted dry between paper towels. Toss to combine, then distribute into one even layer.

In a bowl, combine all the other ingredients and using a fork, mix well to combine. Layer this topping evenly over the scallop and butter mixture.

Bake until scallops are firm and opaque, about 25-30 minutes.

Serves: 6

(For the stir fried veggies, use any mix that you like. I used baby corn, snow peas and broccoli. Heat your wok (or large skillet) with 2 tbsp oil. Add 2 minced cloves of garlic, and 2 tbsp finely diced fresh, peeled ginger. Saute this for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and then add veggies and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes, or until tender and heated through.)

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Recipe, Soup

False Alarm Chili

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Late work day? This “False Alarm Chili” is just the thing to set the night in motion…and take the stress off of you! (N.B. For an alternate chili that uses the traditional kidney beans, see the post for Chili Con Carne.) I call it “False Alarm Chili” because you get all the flavour, and none of the heat!

2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 large can tomato puree
3 tbsp minced garlic
3 cans of black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 large onions, minced (separated)
1 tbsp oil
2 lbs 93% lean ground beef
5 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin

In a large pot, mix all the canned tomato products, garlic, black beans, and 1 1/2 of the minced onions. Bring to a boil, then back the heat off and reduce to a simmer. Cover, and stir occasionally.

In a large skillet, heat oil until it shimmers. Add the reserved 1/2 minced onion and sauté until translucent but not browned. Add the ground beef and break up any large pieces. Sprinkle over chili powder and cumin, and cook until no longer pink.  (Using beef this lean means you will not have to drain it, and therefore not waste your spices as they would normally drain off in the fat!)

Add the spiced meat and onion mixture to the larger pot. Stirring occasionally, allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

This recipe can also be made the night before, stashed in the fridge, and reheated the next day to allow the flavours to commune.

(The honesty in me comes out when I have to share that I actually took the last harvest of the season in fresh tomatoes and used it in place of the 2 cans of crushed tomatoes. Cored and peeled, I cooked them down and made my own red sauce which can be used for pizzas, pastas, or in this case, chili!)

I can’t give a serving, because whenever I serve this, people always want seconds (and thirds!) Serve with grated cheese, sour cream, chopped scallions, and black olives as toppers. Oh, and regular saltines (or even oyster crackers) are a welcome accompaniment as well.

(And there’s nothing wrong if you want to have your favourite frosty malt beverage along with, just please remember to enjoy such things responsibly.)

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Main Course, Recipe, Seafood/Fish

Sesame Garlic Shrimp with Fettuccine and Broccoli Florets

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Who says you don’t have time to whip up a good, healthy, tasty meal on a weeknight? Making use of shrimp and a few ingredients makes this a winner!

2 lbs 21-30 count shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds

1 lb fettuccine (fresh or dried)
2 tbsp sea salt
1 lb frozen broccoli florets

In a large pot, bring 4-6 quarts of water to a boil. Salt the water after it has come to a boil (salting before boiling might lead to pitting of your cookware), then add the broccoli. Return pot to boil, and cook for 1 minute, then add the fettuccine. Continue cooking until fettuccine is al dente. Immediately remove to strainer.

In the meantime, heat your oil in a wok until it has a slight shimmer. Add garlic and cook for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant. Add peeled, deveined shrimp and toss to coat with oil and garlic. Continue tossing (or stirring) until shrimp are opaque and pink in colour. Add soy sauce and sesame oil and toss to coat. Cook 1 minute more.

Add cooked broccoli and fettuccine to the wok, and using tongs, toss to combine. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and dinner is ready.

Serves 6-8.

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Main Course, Recipe, Soup

Red Wine Beef Stew

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Red Wine Beef Stew

2 lbs of beef roast (such as London Broil) cut into 1″ cubes
1 lb carrots, cut into coins
1 lb fingerlings (new potatoes), or potatoes cut into a 1″ to 1.5″ cube
2 medium (or 1 large) onion, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves (or more), minced
1 750ml bottle of good red wine*
1 tsp each of rubbed sage, oregano, and thyme
2 bay leaves
1 quart of fresh water**
cornstarch

In a large pan, brown the cubes of beef (they’re not to be cooked through). If you have too many for the pan, do them in stages as you’ll want them to brown, not steam. After all have been browned, return to the pan, and add onions, garlic, sage, oregano, thyme, water, bay leaves and wine. Bring to a simmer, covered, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, making the beef tender. After 1 hour, add your potatoes. 30 minutes later, add  your carrot coins.

Combine cornstarch with cold water and stir to combine. How much you’ll need to use depends on (1) the volume of liquid you have in your stew and (2) the thickness you wish for it to be. Remove the bay leaves, then add the cornstarch/water mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes to cook the starch thoroughly.

Ladle into bowls, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve alongside fresh Rustic Herb Bread.

* It can be jug wine, but be sure it’s the kind you would drink. As it cooks down, the flavour intensifies, and if it’s bad tasting wine, that too will intensify.

** Yes, “Fresh” Water. Water that has been placed through a filter and let sit on the counter is not “fresh.” Bottled water is not fresh. If you do not wish to use tap water, run it back through your filtration system again. Water loses oxygen as it sits, and there is a difference in the way it cooks.

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