SMOTHERED RABBIT

Smothered Rabbit
from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen
Serves 4


Seasoning Mix:
2 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper (cayenne)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried sweet basil leaves
1/4 tsp gumbo filé

1 (2 to 3 pound) rabbit, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for pan frying
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
6 cups rabbit stock
Rice or mashed potatoes, for serving

In a small bowl thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the mix with the flour in a paper or plastic bag.

Heat about 1/4 inch oil in a large heavy skillet to about 350°. Dredge the rabbit pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess (reserve left-over flour). Cook in the hot oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Do not crowd. (Adjust heat as necessary to maintain oil’s temperature at about 350°; if drippings start to burn, discard the oil and drippings and use fresh oil.) Drain rabbit on paper towels.

Combine the onions and celery in a small bowl and set aside.

Pour off all but 1/2 cup of the hot oil from the skillet, leaving as much sediment in the pan as possible. Return skillet to high heat and let remaining oil heat until it starts to smoke, about 2 minutes, scraping loose any sediment that may be stuck to the pan bottom. With a long-handled metal whisk, gradually whisk in the reserved flour until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the roux turns dark red-brown, about 2 to 3 minutes (be careful not to let it scorch or splash on your skin). Immediately stir in the reserved vegetable mixture and remove from heat. Continue stirring (change to a wooden spoon if necessary) until the roux stops darkening in color, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a 5 1/2 quart saucepan or large Dutch oven, bring the stock to a boil. Add the roux to the stock by spoonfuls, whisking until roux disolves between each addition. Stir in the remaining season mix. Add the rabbit to the pot and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until rabbit is tender and sauce is reduced to about 4 cups, about 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve immediately over rice or with mashed potatoes, allowing 2 pieces of rabbit and a generous portion of sauce

BEST BEAN SALAD

SALAD:
16 ounces black beans — canned, drained
16 ounces white beans — canned, drained
16 ounces blackeyed peas — canned, drained
2 cups tomato — chopped
1 cup cucumber — seedless, chopped
3/4 cup Napa cabbage — sliced
3/4 cup red bell pepper — chopped
3/4 cup red onion — diced
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

DRESSING:
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
15 whole basil leaves — minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar — or brown sugar substitute
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano — crushed

1. In a large non-metal bowl, toss together the drained beans (I use low-salt beans when possible), tomatoes, cucumbers, Napa cabbage, bell peppers, onions and garlic powder.
2. In a blender combine the vinegar, oil, basil, brown sugar, black pepper and oregano and blend until combined. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture, stir, cover and chill for several hours. Will keep for several days. Makes about 2 quarts.

CABBAGE WITH RIBS

1 large head of cabbage, sliced like for coleslaw
2 lbs. of pork ribs, cut into pieces
2 tbsp. of vegetable oil
2 tbsp. of tomato paste
2 tbsp. of paprika
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh parsley, to garnish


In a large pot, heat up the vegetable oil and sear the ribs on both sides. Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper and then remove them from the pot.
To the same pot, add the cabbage, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, until it shrinks down. You may have to add it gradually, allowing it to shrink more and more, if your pot is not big enough.
Add the tomato paste and paprika, and stir well. Place the ribs on top and add about 3 cups of water. (The water should completely cover the cabbage). Cover with a tight lid and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat becomes tender. Taste if the dish has enough salt and adjust, if needed.
Transfer the cabbage into a large baking dish or tray. You should have a little liquid remaining at this point. Bake at 450⁰F for about 15-20 minutes, until the liquid completely evaporates.
Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve.

CABBAGE JAMBALAYA

1 pound spicy pork sausage

1 onion (chopped)

4 cloves garlic (minced)

1 green bell pepper (chopped)

1 cup celery (sliced)

1 head green cabbage (chopped)

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup water

1 cup uncooked brown basmati rice

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon black pepper









How to Make It


1. In large pot, cook the pork sausage with onion and garlic until browned.


2. Stir in green bell pepper and celery; cook and stir for 3 minutes longer.


3. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, then cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 40-50 minutes.

SPICED PECAN CAKE

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup, packed, light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
vanilla extract, in all
1 1/2 sticks [3/4 cup] unsalted butter
2 cups sugar, in all
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
3 egg whites
Glaze (recipe follows)
Pecan Frosting (recipe follows)

Place the pecans in a large ungreased roasting pan and roast at 425
degrees F for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Meanwhile, in a medium-
size bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Then mix in
the 4 tablespoons butter. Add the roasted pecans to the butter mixture
and coat them thoroughly. Return mixture to pan and roast for 10
minutes more, stirring once or twice. Stir in 2 tablespoons vanilla and
roast 5 minutes more.  Remove from oven and set aside.
In large bowl of electric mixer cream the 1 1/2 sticks butter and 1 1/2
cups sugar on high speed until very light and fluffy, about 6 to 8 minutes.
In a separate bowl sift together the flour and baking powder. In a third
bowl combine the milk and the remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add the
flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beating
on high speed until well blended and scraping the bowl sides between
additions. Stir in the pecans.
In a separate bowl whip the egg whites on high speed until frothy, about
30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until
mixture is stiff and holds peaks, about 2 minutes. Gently fold egg whites
into the batter, a third at a time.
Spoon batter into 3 greased and lightly floured 8-inch round cake pans
(1 1/2 inches deep). Spread batter so it is slightly lower in the center
(since it peaks in the center during cooking). Bake at 350 degrees F until
a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Let cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pans and place on a
wire rack; cool thoroughly. Brush glaze over top of each cake layer with
a pastry brush, a little at a time, then spread generously with icing
between layers and on top and sides.
Glaze: Combine 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in small saucepan; bring
to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Pecan Frosting
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
8 egg yolks
3/4 pound (3 sticks) margarine,
softened (see Note)
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans,
dry roasted until dark in color, cooled

Note: It's best to use margarine rather than butter in this frosting because
butter tends to melt out of the frosting as the cake sits awhile.

Combine the granulated sugar and water in a 1-quart saucepan. Cook
over medium heat to 230 degrees F (soft-thread stage), about 15
minutes; do not stir.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer bet the egg yolks on high speed just slightly, about 5 seconds.Gradually add the hot syrup and beat until thoroughly cooled, thick, shiny, and very pale, about 10 minutes. (Start
at low speed so it won't splash and then go to high speed). If crystallized
sugar builds up around the sides of the bowl, don't scrape it into mixture;
it will make the frosting lumpy, and you will have plenty of frosting
without it. Gradually add the margarine and mix on medium speed until completely blended and very smooth, about 5 minutes. Blend in the powdered sugar and vanilla on low speed until smooth; then add the
pecans and beat on high speed until thoroughly mixed and very thick.
If frosting is too thick, thin with a little cream, milk, or water.

VIETNAMESE NOODLE SALAD WITH GRILLED PORK CHOPS

Vietnamese noodle salad with pork chops has fantastic texture and flavor. Add the spicy, garlicky, tangy nuoc cham sauce is the dish is absolute perfection!

Recipe type: Noodles and Pasta

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Serves: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

For the nuoc cham sauce:

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white vinegar
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 red chili, de-seeded and sliced (or substitute 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or Sriracha)
• ½ cup cold water

For the pork chops and noodles:

• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 4 bone-in pork chops
• vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 12 oz. dried rice vermicelli noodles, prepared according to package directions
• 1 small cucumber, julienned
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• ½ cup cilantro, mint, and/or thai basil leaves

Instructions

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In a shallow dish, make the pork chop marinade by adding the soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and wine. Marinate the pork chops for 20 minutes.
2. Heat about ¼ cup oil in a large skillet. Toss the sliced onions in the flour and fry in the oil until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside to drain on a paper towel-lined plate. In the same oil, sear the pork chops on both sides until cooked through. Set the pork chops aside to rest.
3. Add the noodles, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, and herbs to a bowl. Top with the pork chops and crispy onions, and serve with the nuoc cham sauce.

ITALIAN PRESSED SANDWICH

Italian Pressed Sandwich
A fabulous, on the go sandwich for tailgating, picnicking, lunch or party. It's easy to make and feeds a small crowd! Vegetarian or Vegan + GF Option

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

1 Head of Garlic large
13 oz Red Bell Peppers about two medium* (See note), 368g
1 lb Eggplant 454g
2 C Olive Tapenade * 462g, See Notes
1 Tbs Red Wine Vinegar
1 lb Loaf of Ciabatta or Rustic Sourdough Loaf (454g)
3 Tbs Pepperoncini sliced thin
1 C Canned Artichokes halved, rinsed, drained and any tough leaves removed, 234g
2 Leaves of Swiss Chard or a few hand-fulls of another sturdy leafy green such as spinach.
3 Slices of Smoked Provolone optional
Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
2-3 Tbs of Extra Virgin Olive Oil as needed divided

Instructions

To Prep:
Preheat oven to 450F (232C). Set oven rack in center of the oven. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Cut the top end (not the root) off of the garlic head, exposing the tops of each garlic clove. Drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil over the cloves and wrap loosely in foil. Set it on the parchment lined pan. Slice the bell peppers in half, deseed and lay flat, flesh side down, on the parchment lined sheet pan. It's okay to press on them a bit. Set the timer for 20 minutes and roast the peppers and garlic.
While the peppers and garlic are roasting, trim the stem of the eggplant. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into at least 6, 1/4" (2 1/2cm) pieces. Sprinkle each side with a pinch of sea salt and place in a colander to drain for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Spread each side with a about 1/4 tsp olive oil. Place on the same sheet pan as the peppers are roasting on and roast for 20 minutes. The peppers, garlic and eggplant should come out of the oven at the same time. (Peppers and Garlic roasts for 40 min., eggplant roasts for 20 minutes)
Place peppers in a lidded container for 20 minutes. This will make the skin release with ease. Peel pepper skin and set peppers aside. Peel the garlic then mash the cloves until a paste forms. Set aside.
Mix the tapenade with red wine vinegar, set aside.

To Assemble:
Slice the bread lengthwise with a serrated knife. Dig out the inside of the bread on both sides. Try to leave enough crust as to keep the sandwich sturdy. Save the bread dug out and make croutons or bread crumbs with it. Optional - brush on a bit of olive oil, no more than 1 Tbs., on the insides of the bread. Be careful here, the bread can get soggy.. so only this if you love a bit more olive oil (I brush it on mine).
Spread the garlic on both sides of the bread. It will be thin. Spread the tapenade on both sides of the bread. Yes, all of it. Press as you spread.
On the bottom side of bread, layer in the following order: 3 slices of eggplant, artichoke, bell pepper, 3 slices of eggplant, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, pepperoncini, chard or spinach and optional cheese. Place top on sandwich and gently press down.
Tightly wrap the sandwich three times to ensure nothing leaks out and place it in the fridge. Place a heavy object on top of the sandwich, such as cast iron skillet, or box of wine. Let marinate and press for at least 3 hours. Overnight is better.
Cut into 2" wide pieces and then cut in 1/2 for a smaller sandwich. I yield 5, 2" wide (5cm) pieces, but cut the center cuts in half to make smaller sandwiches. Cut to your needs.


Although a fresh sandwich is best, rewrap any remaining pieces tightly in plastic wrap and store for up to two days (the bread will get soggy as it sets).

Recipe Notes

*To save a bit of time, purchase pre-roasted bell peppers and prepared olive tapenade. Drain the peppers well prior to putting them on the sandwich. Also, if using a different recipe of olive tapenade (other than the one linked to above), it may have more oil in it and this will affect the outcome of the sandwich by adding too much oil resulting in a soggy loaf. Be sure to drain some of the olive oil off the tapenade prior to spreading it on the sandwich.