Tag: home chef

Food & Beverage

BLUE CRAB ARANCINI

I hope you saved some of that risotto from the other day, because your gonna need it for this arancini! If you dont have any left over, or didnt make and you need the recipe, you can find it right here…blue crab risotto. The best part about this Italian street food is that if you dont like blue crab, you can make whatever kind of risotto you like, and stuff it with whatever you want.

Because risotto can be time consuming to make, I always make enough to have leftovers, just so I can make this. Once the risotto is already made, the rest of the ingredients you should already have on hand, so it doesnt require too much. I always like to have some sort of sauce for mine, and this simple pomodoro fits the bill nicely.

The crab in butter was just an added garnish, nothing to special about it. I had some left over crab, tossed in a pan with some butter and parsley and then seasoned it up. I think it made it more of a complete dish, than just a “street food snack”.

Hope you enjoy!!

Grocery Cart:

Day old risotto

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

4 TBL Bassetts Blends All Purpose Seasoning (split)

2 eggs (beaten)

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 cups oil for frying

Directions:

First we need to heat 2 cups of oil (i used canola) to 375 degrees.

Next, grab your day old risotto, and using a 1 oz ice cream scoop, form little balls and place them on a baking sheet. Once you have made all the balls you will need, place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

While your little risotto balls are in the fridge, grab 3 mixing bowls. In the first bowl, add in 1/2 cup of all purpose flour and 2 TBL of my Bassetts Blends All Purpose seasoning. In bowl number 2, add 2 whole eggs and whisk together. Finally in bowl number 3, add in 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs and 2 TBL of my Bassetts Blends All Purpose seasoning and mix together.

Now that you have your dredging station set, grab your ball from the fridge! First we are going to coat them in the seasoned flour. Then drop them in the egg. Next coat them in the panko mix.

Once all the balls are coated, gently place 2-3 of them at a time into the hot oil and fry. Use a spoon to baste them and get them all a nice golden brown color. They will need about 3-5 minutes to heat through and be crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside.

After frying, place them on an cooling rack and immediately hit them with some flaky salt.

Until the next dish ya’ll!

Food & Beverage

BLUE CRAB & TOMATO RISOTTO

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Risotto is one of my favorite meals to cook. It is so versatile, so many flavor combinations you can use to keep it exciting, use it as a side dish or a main course. You can keep it simple, or go all out and make it as fancy as you like. At the end of the day, its just rice!

What a lot of people dont understand is that risotto is a “process” of cooking the rice. The same as say rice pilaf. The “pilaf” part is the process in which the rice is cooked. The key to make risotto and making it super creamy is constant moving ans stirring in the pan. Arborio rice, the rice used most for risotto, has a very high starch content, and the constant moving/stirring in the pan activates those starches, which makes your risotto creamy.

I am a big fan of blue crab, and was craving them, so I wanted to make a semi upscale dish. Because the crab is white/pale in color, and so is the rice, I opted to add in some tomato paste to give it some color, as well as some acid and sweetness. Topped it off with a lemon buerre blanc and parsley, and WOW….just as I had envisioned!

Dont be scared to make risotto, it really is simple……just keep stirring and you’ll be just fine!

Grocery Cart:

  • 1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
  • 4 cups seafood stock, or stock of choice
  • 1 large shallot
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 4 TBL room temp butter
  • 10 oz Blue Crab (lump)
  • 2 TBL Tomato Paste
  • salt and pepper TT
  • parsley for garnish

Directions:

In a sauce pan, heat the seafood stock on a medium low heat

In a separate pan, heat oil on medium high heat. Once oil is heated, add in shallot and saute. Next add in the arborio rice, and toast for about 5 minutes, then add in tomato paste and mix thoroughy.

Next, deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce until almost gone.

Now, reduce heat to medium, add in 1 ladle of stock. Constantly stir risotto. Once risotto has absorbed the stock, add in another ladle. Continue this process until risotto is cooked though.

Once risotto is cooked to desired consistency, add in the parmesan cheese and mix together.

Next add in the butter, a few cubes at a time and combine.

Lastly, add in your crab meat and mix again. Garnidh with some freshly chopped parsley

Food & Beverage

CANDIACE CRAVINGS PT III: POT ROAST

Pot Roast?? In the middle of the summer? I have always felt this dish was just for fall and winter. When I posted the question, seems everyone likes it all year round…..especially my pregnant wife! Maybe I am just picky about what and when I eat certain foods. No judgement at all, this is just my personal preference.

I am definitely picky when it comes to my potatoes! I am not a fan of the whole (or halved) potatoes in this dish. I prefer to serve it over mashed potatoes. I think for the texture and overall presentation it is just better. But this is what is great about food. YOU can do whatever YOU like. A recipe is just a guide, feel free to adjust however you want.

Grocery Cart:

1 4# Chuck Roast

Bassetts Blends All Purpose HOT Seasoning

1 TBL Avocado Oil

3 stalks celery

1 medium yellow onion

1# baby carrots

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip

1 packet Lipton French Onion Soup miz

2 TBL Worcestershire Sauce

1 QT Beef Stock

2 TBL minced garlic

8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme

Scallions for garnish

1 TBL cornstarch

Directions:

First we are going to season our chuck roast with my Bassetts Blends All Purpose HOT seasoning, and 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch DIP, not the dressing. I dont know what the difference is, but they taste DIFFERENT. Make sure to get the roast seasoned on all sides and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the roast is resting, dice up 3 stalks of celery, and your medium yellow onion. Next in a heavy bottom skillet, add in the avocado oil.

Once the pan is hot add in the roast, sear for 3 minutes. After a good crust is formed from the sear, flip and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.

After the roast has been seared, add it to your crock pot on the “high” setting. Then add in the celery, onions, carrots, thyme, french onion soup, worcestershire sauce, garlic, and beef stock. Put the lid on and cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and cook for another 3, or until roast begins to fall apart.

Now that the roast is cooked and falling apart, remove it from the crock pot and place into a bowl. Scoop out the vegetables and place them in a separate bowl. Now strain the remaining juices from the crock pot into a sauce pan on high heat.

When the juices come to a boil, make a slurry using 1 TBL cornstarch and mixing it with water. Add the slurry to the sauce pan, give it a whisk, then reduce to desired thickness.

While the juices are reducing, use 2 forks and shred your roast. Add some of the juice to the roast to keep it moist

Serve and garnish with scallions