Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Red Enchilada Sauce

RED ENCHILADA SAUCE

This homemade red enchilada sauce is WAY better than anything you can buy in the can, and quick and easy to make as well!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose or gluten-free flour
  • 4 Tbsp. chili powder (*not cayenne, see recommendations for brands and tips on reducing the heat level if you don't like spicy sauces below*)
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. oregano
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS:


Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.
Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Crab Cakes

Ingredients

For the crab cakes:
2 large eggs
2-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (I went with Grey Poupon)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (I went with the classic Lea & Perrins)
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely diced celery, from one stalk
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crab meat
1/2 cup panko (Progresso makes good panko-style bread crumbs.)
Vegetable or canola oil, for cooking  (I went with LouAna canola for a nice, extra-light flavor.)


For the tartar sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

For the crab cakes:(1) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

(2) Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; gently fold mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 crab cakes (about ½ cup each) and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

(3) Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with canola oil. When oil is hot, place crab cakes in pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter.

(4) Serve immediately with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon.

For the tartar sauce:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.