A Better Cooking Post

This last weekend I was filled with the spirit...the need to cook. I had an idea that was oddly enough born from one of my low calorie dinners. I had used a particular flavor combination to season our veggie based dinner. But my creative mind was saying, "if you used a lot more of this, it would be a great base for a pasta sauce."

We had been wanting to get together with Gaius Derf and Agent W for some time as our mutual travel schedules had not allowed it. It was our turn to go to Derfsholm but I wanted to cook. So I pretty much said, we would come over but I was going to cook dinner.

Agent W is a lady of strong values and in her world you don't have someone over to your house and not cook for THEM. But then again she does know her de-I...as in knows the kind of mess is going to result in her kitchen if I come and cook

What does this face say to you?
To me it says,
"Cook in my house? OMG that means I have to clean his @&$#%$ mess up!"

I want to point out this is a very simple meal. It is something anyone can do. We had:

• Shrimp Cocktail
• Pasta with (I don't know what to call it) Sauce

Shrimp Cocktail

OK grasshoppers, it you want to really shine understand that you have to make things yourself. Don't buy pre-cooked shrimp. Make your own. By the way the "fresh shrimp" in the stores is 90% of the time shrimp that has been defrosted because shrimp is raised or caught way to far from where you live. So just use a bag of frozen shrimp. Bring A LOT of water to a full boil. Put your shrimp in and cook for two minutes EXACTLY. Then drain and IMMEDIATELY put into a bath of ice water.

Now make your cocktail sauce. That's right I said make it. You have much more control over the end product and it is too simple. Use ketchup (you don't have to make that), horseradish (you can buy that too), some lemon juice, lime juice or both. I like to add some chile powder or Tabasco sauce as well. Because you are putting in the hot and sour elements you can vary the sauce to taste which you can't do with a prepared sauce. I like to use a lot of horseradish. People have a tendency to think it is too hot but inevitably they heat tons of it.




By the way, I wanted to make sure that I was going to have pictures all the way through this process for a proper post. So I delegated the picture taking to Gaius Derf. I was well into the shrimp making process when I realized Senator Derf was talking to Wife and drinking wine with not pictures being taken! So I had to take over the task myself.

"What. Take Pictures"

The Sauce

The key to this sauce is the flavor base. But first I prepped some meat for it. I was using boneless chicken thighs.

Brown the chicken first and set it aside.

Now on to our flavor base. You want:

• 3/4 cup of olive oil
• 3/4 of a can of anchovies with their oil (eat the rest or give them to your cat)
• 2/3 of a small can of tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves sliced
• 3 tablespoons of harissa (Moroccan chile paste) or a tablespoon of crushed red peppers
• One medium onion
• One can chicken stock or beef stock if you are using beef or pork
  
• Your meat (you can use any kind you like)

I know. I know. You're saying, "Anchovies, ewwwww, I hate anchovies." Grasshoppers, trust me, you never, never taste or even see them. They dissolve and just provide this depth and richness that you can't describe or explain.

The technique is simplicity itself. Put the olive oil in the pan. Add all the ingredients other than the onions, stock, and meat. Turn the heat on and let everything saute for about five minutes.

Sorry about the blurry shot.

"What. I'm supposed to be taking pictures?"

Then add the onions and saute until soft.

Add the stock and the chicken. Salt to taste. Cook for about fifteen minutes while making the pasta. Add more stock if necessary.

Finish by cooking the pasta in the sauce for the last couple of minutes.

Beautiful shrimp cocktail awaiting the sauce

Our wonderful pasta with the flavors having soaked into both pasta and meat.
Hey, that plate has already been partially eaten!

"What! Was I supposed to be taking pictures?"