Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Daydreaming

Today, I am daydreaming that BISCo.'s headquarters are here.

Photo Credit: MSG Cell Shots

Where are you daydreaming about today?

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tuesday Tips


Before cooking mussels, you want to make sure that their shell is tightly closed. If the shell is slightly open, tap it with your finger. If it closes, it is okay to use. If it does not close, toss it.




Photo credit: Cooking Light

Monday, March 28, 2011

Potato Leek Soup

Spring hasn't sprung. My insides are chilly. Time for some hot, stick to your ribs potato leek soup. Potato Leek soup is perfect for those brisk New England days, especially on Block Island.



3 tablespoons butter
3 leeks, sliced and cleaned
1 onion, diced
6-8 potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 carton of chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the leeks and onions and cook until the onions are translucent.


Add the potatoes and chicken stock.


Cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender. Transfer in small portions to a blender and puree. (You can use a masher instead of a blender if you do not want your soup to be ‘lump free’.)


After pureeing, add the mixture back to your pot and slowly add in the cream. I folded the cream in so that I did not “work” the potatoes too much, otherwise they can become sticky from the gluten. If you find that your soup is too think, you can always add in more chicken stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you find that you are adding in more salt than you are comfortable with, don’t fret. Potatoes seem to just eat up salt.



What is your favorite comfort soup?

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Tuesday Tips


To keep your fresh herbs, well, fresh, snip the ends and store them in a glass jar with enough water to touch the stems but not enough to touch the leaves. Gone are the days of storing herbs in the refrigerator. Most refrigerators are too cold for herbs that are grown out in the sun. This trick works well for parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil and mint. Keep them on your kitchen counter so you are reminded to use them. They also look nice as a kitchen bouquet.
Have a tip that you would like to share? Email me: craig@blockislandseafood.com


Photo credit: Kristen Stevens

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Tuesday Tips


Photo credit: unknown


Before eating raw fruits and vegetables, give them a sanitizing bath.
Mix one cap of bleach in a gallon of cold water to keep your foods clean and ready to eat. Make your solution and send the fruits and vegetables in for a dunk. You know they pick up a lot in all their travels. It's safe for you and your guests. Use the same sanitization mixture for wiping down your knives and cutting boards. So simple, but very, very effective.

Have any tips that you would like to share?

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Recipes


As promised...Here are the recipes for the Jambalaya and the Gumbo. No modesty here, they were great!


Shrimp and Crab Gumbo
Ingredients:

4 tbsp of butter
4 tbsp of flour
1large onion, chopped
2 lb sliced okra
1 diced bell pepper
2 celery stalks, chopped
¼ cup of chopped parsley
½ tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 and ½ pound of cleaned shrimp
1 lb of crab meat
1 qt of chicken stock
1qt clam broth
1 10 oz. can of diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Hot sauce
Cayenne pepper
1 pint cooked rice

In a large pot make a dark roux by combining the flour and butter. Stir the roux and let it darken, being careful not to burn it. In a separate pan sauté the onion, peppers, celery and okra in butter to soften the vegetables, you will add this to the large pot. When the roux has darkened, add the liquids and the crushed tomatoes. Bring this to a slow boil and add the seasonings, then add the shrimp.
You can add cooked rice to the mix or serve the gumbo in a bowl over rice. The rice, okra and roux will serve as thickeners for your gumbo.


Jambalaya

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
½ stick of butter
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped pepper
½ jalapeno pepper
¼ cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
½ cup diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons of tomato paste
3 bay leaves
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
A few dashes of hot sauce
3 cups of chicken broth
¾ cup of uncooked rice
½ pound of medium shrimp (peeled, deveined and cut)
4 oz. cubed chicken
5 oz. Andouille sausage (you can also use a spicy Italian sausage) diced
A few dashes of Cajun spice
Teaspoon of dried thyme or a few fresh thyme branches
Teaspoon on ground cumin
Green onion

Sauté the sausage and chicken in the butter and oil mixture to get a crust on them. Then add the vegetables and sauté for about 5 minutes. You want to soften the vegetables. Now add the garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, Cajun spice, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Now add the chicken broth and bring this to a boil. When it reaches a boil, stir in the rice, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. When the rice is tender: remove from heat, stir in the shrimp and put the cover back on for another five minutes.

Now mix in the parsley and serve. Garnish it with the sliced green onion.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Wordless Wednesday (Almost)


A pre-Fat Tuesday demonstration at the Hampton Bays Library. Jambalaya and Crab and Shrimp Gumbo! Recipes to follow...

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Tuesday Tips

Don’tcha love it when a simple adjustment can make something so much easier?

Here is one of my favorites:

To prevent your cutting board from sliding along the counter while you chop, dice, mince and slice, place a damp paper towel underneath the board.




Trust me, you will not be able to budge that bad boy. So simple. So good.



What tips do you care to share?

About Me

My photo
Block Island Seafood Company (BISCO) helps fellow seafood enthusiasts enjoy the gifts of summer in their own homes all year long. BISCO will leave your family and friends with a memorable experience beyond the traditional catered gathering by providing a dynamic chef and extraordinary cuisine. Block Island, RI (41°09'N 71°33'W) is a small island that sits in the Atlantic Ocean between Rhode Island and Montauk Point, NY. For many years it has been a vacation spot for me and my family, and now I’d like to bring Block Island to your dinner table.