Stuffed Pasta Shells

Posted on January 5, 2020 by Ducks Mahal

For 8-2” pasta shells (Adjust to serving size)

Boil pasta shells in salt water 9 minutes exactly. Rinse in cold water to cool off (stop cooking).
Note: Always cook all dried pasta exactly 12 minutes unless you want the pasta al dente. Then cook them 9 minutes. The stuffed pasta will go into the oven and finish cooking.

Filling
1 egg yolk
½ cup of ricotta cheese
2 TBSP Parmesan or American Grana (extra aged) finely grated
4 TBSP coarsely grated mozzarella or finely shredded Italian pizza blend of Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano
1 TBSP finely chopped Italian parsley
S&P

White wine or Marinara sauce

In a bowl whisk all filling ingredients in a bowl. With a teaspoon stuff the shells.

Preheat oven to 400°.

If cooking in a nice Marinara sauce, top with the sauce and cook 30 minutes. If not cooking in a sauce, add white wine to the bottom of an oven proof bakeware and also cook 30 minutes. The moisture from the wine will keep the pasta soft.

As of 1/5/20

Mango Chutney Chicken

Posted on December 31, 2019 by Ducks Mahal

Mango Chutney Sauce
1 tsp oil
¼ finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove finely chopped
3 TBSP mango chutney
½ tsp curry powder
1 dash cayenne powder
1 dash sea salt

3 chicken thighs

Veggies
3 cut carrots
1cup green beans
¼ red onion
½ orange bell pepper thinly sliced
½ yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
1 clove garlic chopped

In a bowl combine all the veggie ingredients above but the chicken. Add oil and mix.

With a large knife cut the thighs twice down into the bone perpendicular to the bone.

Rub the chicken with the Mango sauce.

Place the veggies at the bottom of a Pyrex dish. Spread the mango sauce over the chicken and place the chicken on top of the veggies.

Bake for 60 minutes at 400°.

Serve the veggies and chicken

As of 12/31/19

Chicken Saltimbocca

Posted on December 25, 2019 by Ducks Mahal

2 chicken cutlets
4 slices prosciutto
1 cup flour
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter (divided)
1 shallots (peeled, thinly sliced)
½ lemon (juiced)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut fillet style in half, makes 4 cutlets. Then put plastic wrap over the chicken and pound it ¼ or so thin. Lay a thin slice of prosciutto on top of the cutlet and trim the chicken around the prosciutto to make an even looking cutlet. Fold the cutlet and pound it once more.

Salt and pepper chicken and dust in flour.

Fry five minutes each side in 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 TBSP butter. Add chopped shallots to flavor the oil. Remove the cutlets and remove the shallots. The shallots are only used for flavor.

as of 12/25/19

Beef Soup

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Ducks Mahal

The main difference between a beef stew and soup is the thickener. In stew flour and mashed potatoes are used to thicken it and also stews usually add tomato, not in this

Ingredients for this Recipe

Beef
• 1 ½ Lb. beef stew meat (I used chuck)
• 1 TBSP Olive oil

Mirepoix
• 1 small yellow onion (chopped in 1 inch chunks)
• 2 carrots – chopped
• 2 celery stalks – chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – minced

Broth/Stock
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth or chicken broth
• 1 cup dry white wine

Herbs
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• (or 1 TBSP of Herbs de le Ron)
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire

Vegies
• 1 Russet potato – chopped into squares
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 ½ cup fresh broccoli
• Napa Cabbage

Salt and pepper
1 TBSP brown sugar

Chopped beef in bite size squares. Season the beef with salt and pepper.

Brown Beef in olive oil

Remove beef and add the mirepoix and sauté. Add the wine and deglaze the pan.

Add the vegies and return the beef. Add the herbs, salt and pepper to taste, add the sugar. Mix.

Bring to a boil, simmer with the lid off 3 hours.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Posted on November 10, 2019 by Ducks Mahal

Pizza Dough:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 TBSP corn meal (Optional)
¾ cup hot water from tap (100+ degrees)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp Rapid Rise Instant Yeast
(spray water bottle)

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix good with a large baking spatula. As you mix and roll the dough ball in the bowl lightly spray with the spray water bottle to make sure all the dried flour is absorbed by water. When done, cover the ball of flour in the bowl with plastic wrap and leave on the counter at least 3 hours. The idea is to create a moist atmosphere where the yeast can work through the dough. When ready to knead the dough, place the dough on a large floured board. Flour the top of the dough ball and knead into a smooth, firm ball. Add flour so the ball become less sticky.

Note: I stated corn meal is optional. I like the Bobby Flay recipe that only calls for flour. But, some dough enthusiast like to add corn meal and consider that the original version. I’m sure back in the day folks only had flour and oil. Keep it simple – back in the day simple…When ready to roll, flour a board and roll the dough to the size that will fit your pan.

Iron Skillet:
1 TBSP olive oil
I will use my grandma’s 100 year old iron skillet. Some like to use glassware. Oil the pan.
Note: The idea with this deep dish pizza is to make a focaccia bread with a bunch of pizza toppings versus the typical thin crust pizza. Look at this like an artisan bread pizza.

Toppings:
• Pizza cheese (minimum mozzarella)
• ( diced tomatoes – optional)
• Jar of tomato sauce, I used Ragu Old World Style tomato sauce
• 1 stick sweet Italian sausage from the deli, skinned, cut small, rolled into balls and half cooked in a non-stick fry pan w/olive oil, the remainder will cook in the oven
• Sliced pepperoni, I used pre-sliced for pizza
• ¼ green bell pepper, cut thin on a cutting mandolin setting 2
• ¼ red bell pepper, cut thin on a cutting mandolin setting 2
• ¼ yellow bell pepper, cut thin on a cutting mandolin setting 2
• ½ small onion, cut thin on a cutting mandolin setting 2
• 5 small white mushrooms, cut thin on a cutting mandolin setting 2
• Pre-sliced black olives

Place dough in skillet, add the toppings and bake 35 minutes in a 450° oven. Serve