SEMOLINAS PASTA JAMBALAYA

Semolina's Pasta Jambalaya

You will need to make the Creole sauce for this dish first, and it makes two quarts -- much more than you need for the pasta recipe.  

The sauce will yield a little more than 10 servings (so multiply the ingredients in the pasta recipe by five to make one big batch). 

Makes 2 servings

1 tablespoon corn oil

2 ounces andouille sausage

2 ounces chicken breast meat

1 tablespoon diced tasso

¼ small red onion, in strips

½ small bell pepper, in strips

2 teaspoons minced garlic

¼ cup butter

¾ cup Creole sauce (below)

8 ounces spiral pasta, cooked

½ cup shredded provolone cheese

½ cup shredded smoked gouda

Green onion slivers and crushed red pepper for garnish

Saute andouille, chicken and tasso in corn oil until the chicken has lost its raw color. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and butter. Cook until the butter is melted and garlic is done. Add Creole sauce and bring to a boil. Make sure the butter is fully incorporated into the sauce.

Reheat the pasta by dipping it into boiling water for 15 seconds. Place the heated pasta into a large bowl and cover with the sauce. Top the dish with the cheeses. Garnish with the green onions and red pepper.

Semolina's Creole sauce

Makes 2 quarts

¼ cup butter

½ cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced bell pepper

½ cup diced celery

1 tablespoon minced parsley

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

½ teaspoon basil leaves

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons salt

3 medium bay leaves

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ cup chopped green onion

3 cups whole tomatoes with juice, diced

2 cups tomato puree

3 cups shrimp or chicken stock

2 teaspoons Crystal hot sauce

Melt butter in a heavy sauce pot. Add yellow onion, bell pepper, celery, parsley, garlic, basil, peppers, salt, bay leaves, sugar and green onion. Cook until the bell pepper turns bright green and onions start to become transparent. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and hot sauce. Bring to a boil; then simmer until reduced to 2 quarts, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

TAILGATER'S PASTALAYA

PASTALAYA
Makes 6 to 8 servings

1/4 cup bacon fat
1/2 pound pork butt, (1-inch) cubed
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, (1-inch) cubed
1/2 pound sliced andouille sausage
3 cups penne pasta
1-1/2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1/2 cup diced yellow bell peppers
1/4 cup sliced garlic
1/4 cup minced jalapeño pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, with liquid
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Granulated garlic to taste

In a large cast iron Dutch oven, heat bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add pork, chicken and sausage then cook until sausage is browned and fat is rendered, stirring occasionally.

Add onions, celery, bell peppers, sliced garlic and minced jalapeño. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Stir in diced tomatoes with liquid, barbeque sauce and stock.

Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add thyme, basil, green onions and parsley then continue to cook 5 more minutes. Season to taste using salt, black pepper and granulated garlic. Add pasta, blending well into mixture. Reduce heat to low and cook 30 minutes or until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

CHICKEN and DUMPLINGS SIMPLIFIED

Chicken and Dumplings

2 cups Flour
½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup Milk, A Bit Less Than A Full Cup
2 quarts Chicken Broth
3 cups Cooked Chicken

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.

To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!

FRICASSEE de VOLAILLE

Fricassee de Volaille
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 fryer chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, cut into serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup carrots, cut into fine, julienne strips, about 2 inches long
1 1/2 cups loosely packed leeks cut into fine, julienne strips, about 3 inches long
1/2 cup heavy cream

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the chicken pieces, skin side down. Cook over moderate heat for about 1 minute without browning.
Scatter the onions over all and cook for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir it around. Cook the chicken for about 4 minutes, turning the pieces often in the butter.

Sprinkle the flour over all, turning the pieces so that they are evenly coated. Add the vermouth, chicken broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover and cook over moderate heat for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring two pans of water to a boil for the carrots and leaks. Drop the carrots into one pan, the leeks into the other. Let the carrots simmer for about 1 minute and drain. Let the leeks simmer for about 4 minutes and drain.
When the chicken has cooked for a total of 30 minutes (start to finish), add the carrots, leeks and cream. Let simmer for about 2 minutes and serve hot.