Italian Style - Tomato Pie
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Prepare your favorite pie crust recipe and blind bake it for about 8 minutes to help seal crust. Set aside to cool completely.
3. Peel the tomatoes if you like and cut them into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices on several layers of paper towels to drain. Turn them periodically to encourage draining. This will make for a less runny filling.
4. In a medium bowl combine the herbs, pepper flakes, cheeses and mayonnaise and mix gently with a gloved hand to blend the ingredients together. This will amass into a cohesive blob of sorts. You should have about 2 1/2 cup of cheese mixture.
5. Divide the cheese mixture into three portions, 1/2 cup measure and 2 one cup measures. Spread or drop the 1/2 cup portion of cheese into the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Next, put in a layer of tomato slices, cutting slices to fit as neatly as possible in one layer.
6. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Next, put in one cup of cheese, trying to spread it evenly. (It's ok if little bits of tomato show through... the cheeses will melt and fill in the spaces.) Now another layer of tomatoes, salt and pepper. Finish the pie with the final portion of cheese, spreading it across the top.
7. Bake in the center of the oven at 350 for about an hour or until topping is lightly browned. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes before cutting. This will insure that the pie is set and that the pieces won't slide apart when cut. Enjoy this delicious pie when tomatoes are at their peak. You won't regret it.
Ingredients
3-4 Large beefsteak or creole tomatoes sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 Cup of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 Cup of fresh chives, minced
1/2 Tsp of fresh oregano, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 Tsp of crushed red pepper flakes
2 Cups of sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 Cup of parmesan cheese
1/2 Cup of mayonaise
Salt & pepper to taste
Shrimp Stuffed Mirliton
Stuffed Poblano Chilies
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Place split mirliton halves in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Salt the water and boil the mirliton gently until easily pierced with a fork, approximately 20 minutes. After boiling, drain the mirliton on paper towels until cool enough to handle.
3. While the mirliton cool, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Saute the onion, celery, bell pepper, green onions and garlic until translucent, tender and beginning to brown. Set aside.
4. When the mirliton are cool enough to handle, scoop out as much of the pulp with a melon baller or spoon, leaving a shell about 1/3 inch thick.
5. Drain the pulp by placing in a clean towel or paper towels, wringing out as much water as you can. Chop the pulp and add to the vegetables in the skillet.
6. Peel shrimp, place peels and heads into an empty saucepan with about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the trimmings of the celery, onion, and saute this mixture until the shells have turned orange. Add about 2 cups of water to just cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until reduced by half.
7. You should have about 1 cup. Strain the broth from the shrimp peels and set aside. Slice shrimp in half lengthwise and then chop into 1/2 inch size pieces.
8. Heat up the skillet with the vegetables and saute until the mirliton are broken up and cooked through to blend with the vegetables. Add the shrimp and saute until they turn opaque. Begin adding breadcrumbs a little at a time, mixing into the shrimp to form a stuffing. Spoon a little of the broth in at a time to moisten it, cooking until the stock has reduced. Keep doing this until you've used about a cup of the brothe and enough Panko to form a loose stuffing. Fry the stuffing until the bread begins to brown in places, turning it over to brown more. (This is when the deep flavor is achieved). Season the stuffing with Tony Chachere's Seasoning to taste and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add about 1 cup of Panko, stirring to coat the crumbs with butter. Divide the stuffing among the mirliton shells and top with buttered Panko.
9. Bake in a 375 degree oven until heated through and the crumb topping is browned, about 20 minutes. Serve hot, and "Enjoy"!
Ingredients
3 Mirliton squash, halved lengthwise
1 lb Shrimp, peeled, deveined (save heads & shells for stock)
1 Cup of chopped sweet onions (save trimmings of onion and celery for stock)
1 Cup of chopped celery
1/2 Cup of chopped bell pepper
1/2 Cup of sliced green onions
3 Tablespoons of minced garlic
1 Cup of shrimp stock
Tony Chachere's seasoning to taste
1/4 Cup chopped parsley
1 Cup of Panko bread crumbs plus more for topping
2 Tablespoons of butter (for topping)
Ingredients
8 Pasilla peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
3 Ears of corn, roasted and cut from the cob
2 Teaspoons of olive oil
1 Medium onion, diced
4-6 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 Pounds of crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 Zucchini's diced
1 Teaspoon of ground cumin
1 Teaspoon of chili powder
1 Teaspoon of salt & 1 Teaspoon of pepper
8 Ounces of jack or cheddar cheese, grated
Red Chili sauce, warmed
Sour Cream
Directions
Roasting the chilies:
Brush chilies with oil and place on a baking sheet under the broiler to char. Turn the chilies occassionally to blister the skin. When the skin is blackened all over, place the chilies in a covered casserole for about 20 minutes to loosen the skins. Hold the chillies near water, take a small pairing knife and gently scrape the charred skin from the chillies. Be careful to keep them intact. Cut a slit into the side of each chili to extract the seeds and veins. Set aside while you make the stuffing.
Roasting the corn:
Set the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Shuck the corn and place the cobs onto a baking sheet. Brush the corn with vegetable oil and roast for approximately 20 minute. Set aside to cool and cut the corn from the cobs.
Cooking Process
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion until very soft. Add garlic and continue to saute for two to three minutes. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Continue to cook until all veggies are soft. Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
3. Stuff peppers until they are half full with cooked veggie mixture. Add a layer of shredded cheese. Fill with more veggie mixture and top with cheese. Place in a baking dish. Repeat until all peppers are filled. Cook in the oven until they are heated through and the cheese is melted. Top with a drizzle of the warm chili sauce and a dollop of sour cream.
Chili Sauce
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon of flour
1/4 Cup of New Mexico Chili Powder
2 Cups of chicken stock
10oz. Tomato paste
1 Teaspoon of dried mexican oregano
1 Teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 Teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
Directions
In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Add flour and stir to form a smooth mixture and cook for about one minute. Add the chili powder and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, cumin and salt. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, turn heat down to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes to blend flavors. Adjust seasoning if desired and serve over roasted, stuffed chilies.