Cuisine Eric

This is a great breakfast casserole for a crowd, or great for a lunch or brunch. Shredding the potatoes and wringing out the water is key to the consistency of the bake. Group 1: 4 eggs 1 cup half and half 4 oz grated cheddar cheese 1 tsp salt   lots grated black pepper, to taste 14 oz potatoes, peeled and grated, pressed to remove water by hand (I used 2 Russet, but Yukon are also fantastic) 1 cup flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 4 cups chopped cabbage, 1/2-inch 1 medium onion, diced 2 carrots, finely diced 1 zucchini cubed int 1/4-inch pieces 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed under a bit of warm water in a sieve 2 cloves garlic, minced Preheat oven to 375F.   Cook the cabbage and onion and carrot in 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil watching carefully, until slightly browned.    Stir only once in a while. Remove to bowl. Reheat the skillet with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter and add the zucchini. Toss and then let fry for a minute or so until the veggies brown.  ...

This is a delicious mix for a chicken salad from left-over roasted chicken. One of many great uses of left-over chicken. 3 cups cooked diced chicken 1 cup finely diced celery 2 Tbsp finely diced onion 1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press 1 cup finely chopped kale 1-2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup finely diced, peeled apple (1/2 medium apple) juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup good real mayonnaise 2 tsp favorite hot sauce (I used Cholula), or to taste 1/2-1 tsp favorite curry powder, or to taste Toss all ingredients together to mix well. Let rest in refrigerator an hour or to if you have time.  Otherwise continue to build a great sandwich or salad! Serves 4.  

Shrimp scampi is an easy quick dish to prepare, and oh so satisfying. Be sure to cook the shrimp only about 2-3 minutes - the trick to the best scampi is not to overcook the shrimp. 1 lb large shrimp (~20/lb), peeled and deveined 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp olive oil 3/4 stick butter, thickly sliced 1/4 cup dry white wine 1 lemon (or lime), halved, and one half quartered 4 cups trimmed broccoli flowerets Crushed dry red pepper flakes, (or minced parsley) to taste 1/2 lb spaghetti Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt generously (like sea water) and tip in broccoli.   Stir gently and blanch for 2 minutes.   Immediately remove broccoli with a slotted spoon to a colander, and allow to cool. Return water to boil and cook spaghetti until just al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet. When the butter has melted and bubbled a bit, add the garlic and cook, stirring, one minute. Add the shrimp and spread into a single layer about the skillet. Co...

This is a delicious pasta dish taught to me by my sister-in-law Cindy. She cooked it for me during a recent visit this past fall and I reverse engineered it at home later, riffing with sherry and spinach. 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1 lb bulk Italian sausage Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste 1 tsp herbs de Provence or Italian herbs 3 cloves garlic, minced 8 oz fresh baby spinach leaves 1-1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup cream sherry, divided in half 1 lb fresh pappardelle pasta Fresh minced parsley for garnish Melt butter in olive oil in a large wide skillet.   Add mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release what water they will and begin to brown a bit.   Stir often. Add 1/4 sherry and allow to evaporate, until the mushrooms are cooked and nicely browned.   Remove mushrooms to a bowl. Add a dash of olive oil to the skillet and add the sausage, crumbling into bite-sized pieces.   Season with sal...

This is a quintessential Greek dish, taught to me by our future son in law's mother during a recent visit to their home in Greece. I've always loved Greek lemon roasted potatoes, and now finally know how to make them beautifully. So can you. One of the key secrets (believe it or not) is the use of yellow mustard as a seasoning.  4 chicken thighs, trimmed 4 chicken drumsticks Chicken Marinade: Zest of 1 lemon Juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup 2 Tbsp olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced through a press 2 tsp dried Greek oregano 1 tsp Kosher salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Potato flavorings: 2 Tbsp French’s yellow mustard Juice of 1 lemon, about 1/4 cup 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/2 yellow or white onion, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced through a press 1 tsp dried Greek oregano 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 2-1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup dry white wine Fresh minced parsley for garnish Whisk chicken marinade together in a medium bowl and add chick...