Recipe: Gumbo

 

Roux

2/3 cup coconut oil (Curious to swap with butter and/or bacon fat)

1 heaping cup of all-purpose flour

Cajun Seasoning

1 1/2 Tablespoon Paprika

1 Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

2 Teaspoons Fresh Cracked Pepper

2 Teaspoons Ground White Pepper

2 Teaspoons Onion Powder

2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano

2 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme

Gumbo

1 Pound Shrimp (peeled & deveined)

8 oz Lump Crab Meat

8 oz Bay Scallops

2-3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Red Onion (diced)

1 Green Bell Pepper (diced

2-4 Jalapeno Peppers (diced, depends on spice preference)  

3 Ribs Celery Hearts (diced)

5 Cloves Garlic (minced)

4 Links Andouille Sausage (sliced)

5 Beefsteak Tomatoes

2 22 oz containers of Chicken Broth (prefer Brodo or homemade, set aside 1/2 cup to deglaze pan)

3 Bay Leaves

12 oz Okra (quartered)

3 Cups Cooked Rice

Instructions

Combine seasoning into the same bowl and set aside. We will be using this throughout the cooking process

Slice an 'X' on the bottom of tomatoes and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle coconut oil and sprinkle a pinch of the Cajun seasoning on each tomato. Roast in a 375 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes. 

Measure & prep remaining ingredients in individual bowls and set aside. 

Once tomatoes are done roasting, carefully peel skin (should easily come off at the touch, if not put back in the oven for another 10 minutes) and dice the tomatoes. Discard the skins and core. Crush the diced tomatoes into a large bowl and set aside. 

Quarter the Okra to make rings and discard the stems. Toss okra in a few pinches of the Cajun seasoning and a drizzle of coconut oil on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake until slightly crispy to eliminate potential slime when added to Gumbo later. Let cool in a bowl and set aside. 

In a large Dutch oven on medium-low heat whisk together the flour & coconut oil (or substituted fat) to make the Roux. Once all the lumps of the flour is whisked smoothly switch to a stove safe rubber spatula. Stir continuously for 30 minutes to an hour until the roux has a dark caramel or milk chocolate cookie dough consistency. May need to adjust heat and scrape sides of the pot periodically to avoid burning. If too runny after 40 minutes, add a little more flour and continue stirring. May want to enlist a buddy to take turns with you or have beer on hand to give you liquid strength. 

Once roux is dark and thick enough to your liking; stir in onions followed by garlic, peppers, celery, and 2 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the veggies bridge between firm and tender. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. 

Gradually add in chicken stock (reserve 1/2 cup for later), blending into the roux and vegetables. Add in crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cover, stirring every 20-30 minutes for an hour. 

Over a medium heat, brown sliced Andouille Sausage with a drizzle of coconut oil in a cast iron skillet. Transfer the browned sausage to the Dutch oven. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of reserved broth by scraping any charred or brown bits from the sausage with a wooden spoon. Add the deglazed pan broth to the Dutch oven. Stir in the okra and continue simmering for another two hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes. Continue to taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. 

30 minutes before serving begin prepping the seafood. Toss lump crab and shrimp in a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and set aside. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning. Add Cajun butter to the cast iron skillet over a medium-high heat until the pan is sizzling. Add scallops to the pan and let brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove scallops from the pan immediately and set aside. Deglaze the pan with the remaining 1/4 cup of broth and add drippings to the Dutch oven; along with the crab, shrimp, and scallops. Simmer for the remaining 10-20 minutes until the shrimp are opaque and firm. Discard bay leaves.

Serve in bowls over a scoop of cooked rice. Perhaps enjoy with a glass of a freshly shaken hurricane and a plate of beignets on the side. 

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A post shared by Appétit Du Nicolette (@appetitdunicolette)

Enjoy!

xx Nicolette

Recipe: Orange Chicken

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Was craving orange chicken so naturally I made a healthier homemade version and treated myself to some bubble tea from @tidaltea_nyc. Recipe is available on my blog, see link above 💗

A post shared by Appétit Du Nicolette (@appetitdunicolette) on May 21, 2020 at 2:10pm PDT

I was craving orange chicken, but wanted a healthier option than take-out so I made some minor tweaks to a classic Chinese American dish that you will find shockingly simple. 

Ingredients:

Rice:
1 cup brown rice
3 cups water
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon of salt or soy sauce

Sauce:
1 navel orange
2 blood oranges
1/3 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Chicken:
2 chicken breasts
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 eggs
1/3-1/2 cup coconut and/or olive oil



Instructions:

Bring three cups of water to a boil and add rice. Reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes and add water as needed until rice is soft. Remove pot from heat then add butter and salt or soy sauce for flavor.

Trim chicken breasts to two inch pieces. Mix flour and cornstarch into a plate or flat bowl. Whisk eggs in a medium sized bowl. Soak chicken pieces in egg bowl and lightly dust in the flour/cornstarch mixture. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Juice and strain oranges into a small sauce pan along with honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Mix on medium heat for three minutes. In a small bowl mix a tablespoon of cornstarch and two tablespoons of water to make a paste. Whisk paste into sauce pan and reduce to a simmer for five minutes. Keep on low heat occasionally stirring while cooking the chicken.

Heat a large pan with oil over a medium flame. Add chicken to the oiled pan until chicken is golden on both sides and cooking temp reads 165 degrees. Transfer chicken to paper towel to remove excess oil.

Pour a small portion of sauce into a small bowl and set aside. Mix cooked chicken into sauce pan until the chicken is evenly coated.

Scoop rice into a bowl followed by the coated chicken on top. Add additional sauce as desired.

Finally I recommend eating with chopsticks and freshly brewed bubble tea. If you are in West Harlem you should give Tidal Tea a try.

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❗️Introducing our loyalTEA program ❗️ ~ For every $1 you spend, you get 3 points ~ ~ 200 points = $5 off your order ~ ~ 40 points = 1 free topping ~ Join now and choose from these tasty (and pretty) drinks! 🌊🌊🌊 #tidaltea

A post shared by tidal tea (@tidaltea_nyc) on Aug 15, 2019 at 3:58pm PDT

Enjoy!

xx Nicolette

Today's Patriotic Recipes

Today's patriotic recipes include: Baked by Melissa's American Popper & my very own berry lemonade sangria!

Having your friends and family over for a barbecue? Give your traditional lemonade a patriotic edge with my berry lemonade sangria! 

Ingredients:

6 lemons

2 packages of raspberries

1 package of blueberries

3 bottles of white wine (I prefer champagne)

Instructions:

Juice lemons and berries into a bowl. Strain three times and pour into pitcher. Mix wine into pitcher and garnish with lemon slices and berries. (Serves about 12) Enjoy! 

I stopped by Baked by Melissa yesterday and ordered their Fourth of July cupcake, American Popper. As soon as I bit into the cupcake, it literally was exploding with flavor. 

I recommend you stop by and try one for yourself. Be warned the candy topping will shock your tongue! For the more domestic individuals like myself, make this cupcake yourself with the recipe below! 

Ingredients: 

Cake:

2 large eggs

1 3/4 cups (175 grams) sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Red & Blue dye

Butter Frosting:

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk or light cream

Candy Topping:

White chocolate

Pop Rocks

Instructions:

Candy Topping:
Melt white chocolate in a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water until it has a smooth consistency. Don't take your eyes off the bowl and be sure to be constantly stirring or you may end up burning your chocolate (Ewww!). Once your chocolate is completely melted, pour it onto a cookie sheet and sprinkle your pop rocks on top! Place the cookie sheet  in the fridge so the chocolate will get nice and firm.

Cupcake:
While eggs are still cold separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes).

In a mixing bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add 3/4 cup (150 grams) of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract. Then, with the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup (50 grams) of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining whites until combined. Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.

Separate batter into three bowls. Keep one bowl white, dye the second red, and dye the third blue. Fill cupcake cups by using a spoon full of batter from each of the three bowls. Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting
While the cupcakes are cooling, in an electric mixer cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top with a piece of the chocolate Pop Rock candy! Enjoy!

Cupcake Du Jour: Chocolate "Ditto" Inspired by "Ghost"

In honor of the musical Ghost, Magnolia has created a cupcake named "Ditto." There is a choice of classic vanilla or chocolate cake with pale blue vanilla bean meringue icing, topped with a light and airy miniature meringue.

After visiting Magnolia's Bakery, make it for yourself with the recipe below!

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients:

1/2 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 cup (240 ml) boiling hot water

1 1/3 cups (175 grams) all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a small bowl stir until smooth the boiling hot water and the cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In another bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat only until incorporated. Then add the cooled cocoa mixture and stir until smooth.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes or until risen, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, pipe with icing. 

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar 

1/4 cup water

5 large egg whites 

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Dash of salt 

1/4 cup butter, softened 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blue food coloring

Directions:

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, without stirring, or until candy thermometer registers 250°. 

Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and dash of salt in a large bowl. Using clean, dry beaters, beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg white mixture, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. 

Reduce mixer speed to low; continue beating until egg white mixture cools (about 12 minutes). Beat 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy; stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Fold in 1 cup egg white mixture. Fold butter mixture into remaining egg white mixture, stirring until smooth. Add food coloring to make the frosting blue. 

Enjoy!

Cupcake Du Jour: Olympic Red Velvet

You may have heard of Georgetown Cupcakes from the show on TLC, DC Cupcakes, but what they are really known for are their delicious specialty cupcakes. In honor of the 2012 Olympics, they have decorated their classic red velvet cupcake with a fondant gold medal on top. 

After you try this cupcake for yourself, use the recipe below to make your own!

Red Velvet Cupcakes Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (125 grams) sifted cake flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoons (10 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cups (150 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk

1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring

1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Red Velvet Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line 12 muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.

In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 

Divide the batter evenly among the 12  muffin cups and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 18 - 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes and them remove from pan. Let cool completely before frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted

2/3 cup (160 ml) cold heavy whipping cream(double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

Directions:

In the bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to pipe. Add more sugar or cream as needed to get the right consistency.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Savory and Sweet Salad

A couple of weeks ago my friend Kelly decided to put walnuts and watermelon in our salad. Tonight I decided to do my own interpretation and it takes no more then 5 minutes.

Ingredients
Sliced Cooked Minute Steak
Fresh Spinach
Watermelon
Salted Cashews
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Recipe: Spaghetti Nest

Ingredients:

DeCecco's Angel Hair Nests

Cabernet sauce

Ground Beef (or Turkey)

1 Egg

Bread Crumbs

Italian Seasoning

Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and crush red pepper. Pinch 1-2 inch spheres with your hands. Cook them on a medium heat skillet until the meat balls are thoroughly cooked.

In a small sauce pan bring water to a boil. Rinse the angel hair nests in cold water until you feel them become firm. Drop them into the boiling water for 1 1/2-2 minutes. Remove nest from boiling water and repeat for those remaining.

Once your nests are cooked and drained, serve with your sauce and meatballs. Personally, I like to garnish it with shredded parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning; but it isn't necessary. Enjoy!

Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients:

Short Bread:

2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (76 grams) cold unsalted butter

1 large egg,

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (120 ml) cream, half and half, or milk

Topping:

2 pounds strawberries

1 tablespoon granulated white sugar

Vanilla icecream or whipped cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 F and place rack in the middle and grease your bread pan.

Wash and slice strawberries into a clean bowl and add the sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let set in the fridge.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Whisk together the egg, cream and vanilla extract and add to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough.

Once dough is ready, flatten into the bottom of the bread pan and let it cook for 20-25 minutes or until it's golden. Let the shortbread cool for a couple minutes before slicing.

If you choose to use vanilla icecream like I did, Scoop it onto the bread before the strawberries. Otherwise spoon the strawberries onto the shortbread before dolloping your whipped cream. Enjoy!

Recipe: Baguette Pizza

Ingredients:

Sausage

Sliced baguette

Olive oil

Crushed tomatoes

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Shredded Mozzarella

Sliced cooked sausage

( I bought mine from Dickson's Farmstand Meats)

Hawaiian

Sliced baguette

Olive oil

Crushed tomatoes

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Shredded Mozzarella

Fresh Pineapple

Sliced Ham

Garlic

Sliced baguette

Olive oil

Minced garlic

Shredded Parmesan cheese

Shredded Mozzarella (Not too much!)

**Tips**

Cook sausage on medium heat while you're preparing the rest of ingredients. Salt and pepper can really make a difference if your pizza tastes a little bland. 350 F for 15 minutes worked perfectly for me, but make sure you keep an eye on your pizzas regardless. Enjoy!

Recipe: Fresh Steak on Toast

Ingredients:

Steak (I used minute Steak)

Fresh Pineapple

Red Ball Pepper

Cucumber

2 tbs of olive oil

Baguette

Directions:

On a lightly oiled skillet cook your steak to your specification (Personally I like mine medium-rare). Slice your pineapple, red ball pepper and cucumber and set aside. Slice baguette and drizzle olive oil on top. Place pieces of bread in the oven at 450F until the edges are golden.

Once your steak is cooked as long as you'd like, remove from the heat onto a cutting board and rinse your skillet. Throw in your pineapple, red ball pepper and cucumber until your pineapple is slightly toasted. Slice your steak into pieces and mix into the pan. Remove your bread from the oven and serve your mixture ontop. Enjoy!

Recipe: Cinnamon Roll

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans, divided
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup powder sugar

1-2 tablespoons of milk or creamer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and salt; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
3. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, milk mixture, eggs and 1 1/2 cup flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
4. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
5. While dough is rising, melt 3/4 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 3/4 cup brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Pour into greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with 1/2 cup pecans; set aside. Melt remaining butter; set aside. Combine remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans, and cinnamon; set aside.
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, roll into an 18x14 inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, leaving 1/2 inch border uncovered; sprinkle with brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Starting at long side, tightly roll up, pinching seam to seal. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. With serrated knife, Fold the roll into a bread pan. Butter the top and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 3 minutes, then invert onto serving platter. Scrape remaining filling from the pan onto the rolls.
8. Once cooled, whisk the powder sugar and milk (or creamer) in a small bowl. Pour icing on top of the cinnamon roll. Enjoy!