Ina's Gravy Starter (Season 25, Episode 4)

1 red onion sliced
4 cloves garlic halved
6 tbsp butter
6 tbsp flour
4 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp cognac
10 large fresh sage leaves
2 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a Dutch oven, saute onion and garlic in butter for 15 minutes. Sprinkle in flour stirring constantly for 1.5 minutes. Add stock, cognac, sage and bay leaves, salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour. Pour. push through strainer to remove solids. Refrigerate and use; freeze for 3 months.

Add to de-glazed pan to make gravy.

Spicy Ginger Pork Noodles With Bok Choy

12 ounces baby bok choy (3 or 4 small heads)
1 ounce ginger root (1 fat 2-inch-thick knob)
Kosher salt
8 ounces rice noodles, not too thin
2 tablespoons peanut or safflower oil
1 pound lean ground pork
¼ cup plus 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 fresh Thai or habanero chili, seeded if desired, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1½ teaspoons sesame oil, more for drizzling
Cilantro or torn basil, for serving
Black vinegar, for serving


1. Trim bok choy and separate dark green tops from white stems; leave tops whole and thinly slice stems. Peel ginger and finely chop half of it. Slice remaining ginger into thin matchsticks.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain and run under cool water; drain again.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, breaking up with a fork, until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, 1½ tablespoons soy sauce and ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar. Use a slotted spoon to transfer meat to a bowl.
4. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Stir in half the scallions, the finely chopped ginger, the garlic and the chili. Cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add bok choy stems and a pinch of salt. Cook until bok choy is almost tender, about two minutes. Toss in leaves and return pork to skillet.
5. Toss noodles, remaining ¼ cup soy sauce and 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar into the pan. Cook until just warmed through.
6. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with remaining scallions, sesame seeds, sesame oil and herbs. In a small bowl, combine ginger matchsticks with just enough black vinegar to cover. Serve ginger mixture alongside noodles as a garnish.

Lou-Weezie's Caprise Grilled Cheesey

sourdough bread
fresh Buff moz
appropriately sized sliced tomatoes
fresh basil (patio to table)
butter
balsamic reduction

Assemble sandwich; grill in butter, drizzle with reduction

Gorham Chantilly

We all have the same sterling pattern. Mom would have it no other way.

Chimchurri Shirmp

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb shrimp
2 tbsp chimchurri

Saute shrimp in olive oil for 2-3 minutes; add chimchurri saute another 2-3 minutes or until done

Chimchurri

2 cups fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup of good olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
cayenne pepper flakes or sauce
salt
pepper

Blend in food processor. Add ingredients to taste. Top anything.

Fort Fromage

1/2 to 3/4 lbs Beemster Vlaskaas, room temperature (more is better)
1/4 to 1/2 lbs red-rind Gouda (enough to get to 1 lbs with above)

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

1 clove garlic

Remove any rinds from hard cheeses and grate. Place cheese, wine, butter, herbs and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth, approximately 2 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 1 hour for a firmer consistency. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Blend it until smooth. Remove from fridge 60-90 minutes before serving.

Graham Beck Brut Rose

South African pink sparkling; excellent and not fruity.

Chili Oil

3/4 cup oil
2 star anise
1/2 of a small cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
3 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Place the pot over very low heat and let everything toast together slowly for 15 minutes. Take care not to burn the spices. Use a slotted spoon to remove the spices, and turn off the heat. Let the oil cool for about 5 minutes, and then add the chili flakes. Slowly toast these in the hot oil until very fragrant (it should almost smell like popcorn), and very red. Stir in the salt and sugar.

Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad

2 long, seedless cucumbers (1 to 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons chili oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
small handful of chopped cilantro

Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with a clean towel. Make the salad dressing by combining the salt, sugar, sesame oil, light soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Set aside.

On a cutting board, lay a large knife flat against the cucumber, and smash it lightly with your other hand. The cucumber should crack open and smash into four sections.

Repeat along its full length. Once the whole cucumber is completely open (usually into 4 long sectional pieces), cut it at a 45-degree angle into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, mix the cut cucumber with the prepared dressing, garlic and chili oil (or cooked plain oil), and toss it well. Serve, garnished with sesame seeds and cilantro.

Da Corradi Restaurante London

Arroz con Pollo

5 or 6 chicken thighs; with skin and bones. Don't over crowd Dutch oven.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion; chopped fine
3 cloves garlic; chopped fine
1/2 cup white wine
5 saffron threads
2 tomatoes; chopped
1 cup whole pimento stuffed green olives
2 bay leaves
1.5 cups short grain rice
3 cups chicken broth
salt
pepper

Heat oven to 375. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Add saffron threads to wine.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add olive oil and brown both sides of chicken starting skin side down; 10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

In now seasoned Dutch oven, cook onion until soft; 5 minutes. Add garlic; 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, wine with saffron and deglaze. When moisture reduced by half, stir in rice and cook briefly; 1 minute. Stir in chicken stock; add bay leaves. Cover and bake in oven for 25 minutes. Remove; let stand 5 minutes covered; serve.

Salt and pepper along the way as needed.