Blake Makes

During the busy work week, I want meals that are delicious but incredibly easy to make. There’s nothing worse than having a long, stressful day and knowing you have to come home and start cooking (and then the dreaded clean-up afterward).

This salad is so simple and is a good way to use up any barbecued or grilled chicken you might have leftover from the weekend. I usually just buy a barbeque rotisserie chicken to make this meal even easier. You can also vary the salad ingredients to use up any veggie leftovers you might have on hand because what makes this salad great is the poblano dressing– it’s creamy and smooth with just enough spice.

Recipe courtesy of Susan Spicer’s Crescent City Cooking.

Ingredients (Salad):

• 1 1/2 to 2 cups diced bbq chicken meat, from leftovers or a store-bought roasted chicken
• 1 ripe avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels,, thawed, or 2 ears corn, grilled in the husk then shucked and cut from the cob
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced celery or celery hearts
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 head Bibb lettuce, broken into leaves, washed and dried
• Creamy Poblano Dressing

Directions (Salad):

Toss all ingredients except dressing in a salad bowl, then toss in the dressing or serve it on the side.

Ingredients (Dressing):

• 1 poblano, roasted and peeled
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 2 T chopped scallion greens
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup Mayonnaise (I used light mayo)
• 2 T sour cream or buttermilk (I used light sour cream)

Directions (Dressing):

Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings as necessary.

I love cheese enchiladas- they are my most favorite food ever, ever. Well, actually, cheese is my most favorite food. But, when you stuff it inside corn tortillas and bake it to bubbly perfection, it doesn’t get much better.

I stumbled across this recipe for veggie and cheese enchiladas when I was skimming through Susan Spicer’s Crescent City Cooking, and the photograph looked so mouth-watering, I had to try to make them myself.

I will warn you that the enchiladas do take a while to make, but you can make the sauce a day ahead and save yourself some time later. Having made these before, you would think that I would do that, but, alas, I am a procrastinator. (Blake, don’t you and my mom always say the Johnson motto is “Why do today what you can do tomorrow?”; Guess it’s in my blood.)

The time it takes to make these, however, is totally worth it. They are so yummy and satisfy all my Tex-Mex cravings. Plus, the veggies actually add nutrition to my favorite meal! Yay!

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This past Christmas, I was super excited to get Blake an autographed copy of Chef John Folse’s The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine. Since we both grew up in North Louisiana, we didn’t have a lot of exposure to this type of cooking, so I was looking forward to learning a thing or two from Folse (who’s also an old favorite on Saturday morning PBS). He certainly didn’t disappoint - this cookbook is truly an encyclopedia of everything anyone would want to know about the cuisine of South Louisiana.

His recipe for Chicken and Sausage Gumbo was a little different than other gumbos I’ve had in the past (mushrooms??), but it was wonderfully rich and delicious (and the mushrooms were great).

Ingredients:

• 1 (5lb) stewing hen
• 1 lb smoked sausage or andouille (I like to use both and prefer Manda brand if you can find it.)
• 1 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 3 quarts chicken stock
• 24 button mushrooms
• 2 cups sliced green onions
• 1 bay leaf
• sprig of thyme
• 1 tbsp chopped basil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Louisiana hot sauce to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• cooked white rice (we will use brown if going more healthy)

Directions:

Using a sharp boning knife, cut hen into 8-10 serving pieces. Remove as much fat as possible. Cut smoked sausage or andouille into 1/2 inch slices and set aside.

In a 2 gallon stockpot, heat oil over medium high heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until golden brown roux is achieved. (Do not walk away during this process unless your kids are bleeding.) Stir in onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Blend chicken and sausage into vegetable mixture, and saute approximately 15 minutes. Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately 1 hour.

Skim any fat or oil that rises to top of pot. Stir in mushrooms, green onions, bay leaf, thyme and basil. Season to taste using salt, pepper and hot sauce. Cook an additional 1-2 hours, if necessary, until chicken is tender and falling apart. Stir in parsley and adjust seasonings. Serve over hot white rice.

NOTE: You may wish to boil chicken 1-2 hours before beginning gumbo. Reserve stock, bone chicken and use meat and stock in gumbo.

Hello Blake Makers and Sooper Heroes! Wowsers, it’s been a busy couple of weeks. There are tons of posts and information coming about the next round of PBDDL and more (and different) free food on Soopz, but I want to post some food! I will, however, direct you to Say It On BlakeMakes.com if you’ve gotten your free PBDDL and would like your blog featured on Blake Makes.

Enough dulce for now. We live in New Orleans, so let’s talk about Poboys!

Yes, we actually eat them on a regular basis down here. No, they’re not just some touristy treat, but I will say that we rarely make them at home.

To get really good poboys, you’ve got to go out for them…like to a gas station, or some nondescript shack somewhere (that’s where you’ll find the best).

I wrote about a poboy like this months ago when I discovered the Banh Mi at the New Orleans Poboy Preservation Festival. It was my favorite of the fest because it was daring and different (I get really descriptive in my Serious Eats post).

Bridget and I decided to make these at home, and they turned out great! We grabbed the recipe from Epicurious.com.

To be honest, I was a little uncertain because of the combination of:

• Asian fish sauce
• Daikon
• Cilantro
• Liverwurst

But, they’ve been doing this in Vietnam for centuries, so of course it turned out spectacularly. Everything blends together in your mouth, and it was sublime. My favorite part is the pickled carrot and diakon salad - it’s sweet and sour at the same time.

(Bridget told me my Nesties are going to be hungry for more than just dulce soon, so in addition to being for everyone else, this post is especially dedicated to my Nestie readers! Hello!) 

Hello, Blake Makers! I’m back! It’s so good to be back, and I really appreciate everyone’s comments and e-mails. I love you guys! I decided I’d make this comeback post something a little special (and a little fancy), but it’s still really easy to make.

Don’t let scallops scare you. I was a little afraid of them because they’re expensive, and because I know that seafood can be easily overcooked. Not only did we not overcook these, but they were some of the best scallops we’ve ever tasted. Presenting Barefoot Contessa’s Scallops Provencal.

I bought a pound of fresh sea scallops (the big ones) from Whole Foods. They were really fresh, I could tell because they were practically odorless except for a slight fresh, salty sea breeze essence.

Since the scallops were so thick, I sliced them in half (horizontally) per the recipe. Now I had twice as many scallops as I started with. Keep this in mind (as I will) when you go to buy the scallops and think that six aren’t enough. Trust me, six large scallops can easily feed four people.

Salt and pepper the scallops and lightly dust them with flour.

Melt two tblsp. of butter in a saute’ pan over high heat. When the butter sizzles, add the scallops in a single layer and reduce the flame to medium. Don’t move them around - you’re going for a nice sear (crust). Turn them after a couple of minutes. They should be golden brown.

Another couple of minutes on the other side, then just before you think they’re done, add another 2 tblsp. of butter.

Add 2 large chopped shallots, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and 1/3 cup dry white wine (this is what makes it French).

Cook it for a minute longer, then remove it from the heat and eat it. Squeeze a little lemon over the top just before you take your first bite.

We were going make some herbed basmati rice to go with it, but I forgot to buy the rice. So, we improvised and made lemon risotto. That post is coming on Wednesday, and it’s worth the wait.

Hello, Blake Makers. I’ve been getting e-mails and comments about a Blake Makes Thanksgiving. Sorry posts have been slow in coming lately, but this was the first year Bridget and I hosted the holiday at our house. We had family come to New Orleans from back home, and planning took a lot of time and energy. You may also know that I own my own marketing firm, and although initial indications were that things would slow down for the holidays, I’m busier than ever. I got 4 new clients the day before Thanksgiving! That’s my excuse, but Thanksgiving continues below.

We have a small kitchen, so Bridget and I had to be smart about the dinner. We outsourced the turkey, dressing and gravy to Langenstein’s (a local grocery store renowned for their holiday catering). I have to say that I was a little concerned about what the in-laws would think of me ordering out the centerpiece of America’s annual gorge-fest. Luckily for me, it was delicious.

The turkey was about 15 lbs. and they baked it. When I picked it up, it looked like the turkey on the cover of Gourmet this month. The skin was dark mahogany, and studded with herbs and spices. A spoon through the gravy revealed turkey bits and giblets, so I knew it was going to be good. Now, the only thing left was the dressing.

I ordered two kinds: cornbread and oyster (since this is New Orleans). The oyster dressing was ok, a little salty and a little too much celery for me, but the cornbread was divine. And by divine I mean it tasted like my granny made it. It was sweet, no doubt made from the sugary, cake-like cornbread that’s standard on most dinner tables in the South.

The sides were pretty standard. Bridget made mac & cheese, and green bean casserole (the kind with French fried onions). Bridget’s mom brought her famous sweet potatoes (I love you Mommer!), so let me take a moment to describe this spectacular dish.

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Pizza’s something we eat a lot in our house. We usually just buy a pizza crust and top it with our favorites, but then I learned how to make homemade pizza dough.

First off, I have to say that I’m a stickler for light; specifically, the sunlight I use to capture really great images for the blog. I made this pizza at night, so I had to use the light in my kitchen. Please forgive the sub-par pizza pic.

This wasn’t the first time I made this dough, but it was the first time I used large, freshly sliced pepperoni. We were in Whole Foods, and I was buying turkey for sandwiches that week when I spotted the large stick of pepperoni laying in the case. You know how the mind works, a lot of things can come together all at once, and that’s exactly what happened here.

Pepperoni, newly acquired pizza dough recipe, jarred marinara, banana peppers. The birth of a recipe.

We typically buy very processed turkey pepperoni, but never again. The real, fresh thing is entirely better. To let my inner-hick speak, “It’s restaurant quality.”

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I like to keep things simple, especially when it comes to my cooking. A soup with a few ingredients, or a simple salad can send me swooning. Such is the case with this absolutely delicious roasted chicken.

This bird was a regular, run-of-the-mill chicken. I removed it from its wrapper, rinsed it thoroughly and patted it dry. I seasoned the cavity with salt and pepper, and tossed in a few lemons cut into quarters. I salt and peppered the outside, and drizzled over 3 tblsp. of melted butter.

In a 400 degree oven, I roasted the chicken on its side for 20-25 minutes. Then, I turned the chicken on to its other side and roasted for another 20-25 minutes. Finally, I basted the chicken with pan drippings (I used a little more melted butter), and roasted it breast-side up for a final 20-25 minutes.

Your house will be filled with the heavenly aroma of golden, buttery, crispy chicken. We picked this bird clean.

I love all the food pics I take for Blake Makes, but every now and then, some of the food really strikes a pose. Last night’s dinner looked so good in front of the camera, we’re in talks with Vogue for next month’s cover. We made Caramelized Onion Pizza. It was spectacular. The onions cooked down to dark, sweet goodness for about an hour, and I made the pizza crust from scratch.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1/4 oz. yeast packet
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tblsp. flour
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup flour

For the topping:

• 1 red onion
• 1/4 balsamic vinegar
• 3 cups baby arugala
• 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• S&P

To Make: The Crust

Mix the yeast, 1/4 cup warm water and 1 tblsp. flour in a small bowl. Let it sit for about 5 minutes (small bubbles will appear on the surface; when it smells “yeasty,” it’s ready).

In a large bowl, sift in 1 1/4 cup of flour and salt. Next, add the olive oil, 1/2 cup warm water and the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Sift in the last 1/2 cup of flour, and stir until a ball forms in the bowl and the sides of the bowl are clean.

Turn the dough out on a dry board (counter-top), and flour your hands. Knead the dough until it’s springy and smooth. Dust a plate with flour. Place the dough ball on the plate, then heavily dust the top of the dough ball with flour. Cover with a floured cloth and place in a warm spot to rise for about an hour-and-a-half.

To Make: The Topping

Slice the red onion and cook over very low heat (they will become very pale pink). After about an hour, add the balsamic vinegar and reduce for 15-20 minutes (the onions will darken and look syrupy). Next, add in the arugala and thyme to wilt slightly.

Bring the dough out from under the cloth, and press it onto a sheet pan using your finger tips (you’ll feel the air inside, so try to preserve that fluffy consistency). Shape it into a rectangle like the Romans do. Add the onion mixture on top, and crumble over the goat cheese. Drizzle on some olive oil, and S&P to taste.

Bake at 450 for about 20 minutes (or until it’s golden and delicious).

On The Plate:

This is one for the future cookbook, or restaurant. Definitely company food. It was so good because it was so simple and elegant. Yes, it took some time to make, but I love being in my kitchen with my hands and mind in the food. Making this was the best two hours of my day.

The next time I make it, I’m going add some crispy Pancetta pieces. It will play really well with the sweet onions, bitter arugala and creamy goat cheese.

Variety is the spice of life. This pizza has it all.

I’ve been cooking for years, and being a proud Southern cook, I’ve smothered my share of pork chops and chicken. Last weekend, however, I realized that “smothering” is very similar to (if not the same as) braising.

This month’s Bon Appetite (Oct. 2007) features these short ribs, and after cooking them, I totally see how they made the cover.

Everything comes together at the end. The ribs cook away in two bottles’ worth of Cabernet for a few hours until they are falling off the bone.

The wine imbues the meat with a deep, rich flavor - and it makes a nice reduction at the end.

We served it over the magazine’s recommendation of Gorgonzola polenta, but to be honest, I didn’t care for it. To be fair, I’m not a huge fan of blue cheeses.

Next time, I am going to serve it over my Roasted Corn Grits. That will make it perfect.

Even though I didn’t love it, the polenta was okay. I’ll post about it tomorrow. Bridget actually said it was better the next day. “Not as blue cheesy,” Bridget said.

Make this for company.