Experimental adventures in cooking

Ricelada

I made some Spanish rice the other night that Kim didn't like too much. It was froma package. I didn't mind it, but it was sitting in the fridge in the elftover bin. I decided to try spcing it up by making it into a kind of enchilada. At Rudy's, I usualy order a cheese enchilada, and I always like eating the rice where the cheese and the enchilada sauce mix together. So I decided to make one big rice enchilada-like thing. Slice onions, brown in a pan. turn off and add leftover rice. While the heat is exchanging, prepare enchilada sauce, use some chicken broth, dry peppers, heat and sit, blend into a sauce, add a little vinegar. Pour sauce around edge of pan, grate cheese on top, broil until cheese is melted.

things to try adding to the sauce

• sugar
• white onion
• fire roasted tomato
• tomato paste
• vinegar
• chocolate
• cumin

Fish Stew

saute yellow onions, garlic, green onions in butter and olive oil
add white wine
spice with celery salt or that red stuff
1 can of vegetable broth, or chicken broth
used left over diced potatoes from breakfast
saute scallops
add leftover orange roughy

Ratatouille

dice eggplant, sprinkle with salt in collander, set for 30 minutes
saute zucchini in hot olive oil, add a dash of salt, set aside in bowl
the oil should be hot enough to really sear the vegetables, saute them until they just get a light brown glaze
repeat for mushrooms (but add some butter too)
repeat for eggplant
add more oil again, and saute onions, after a few minutes add the garlic
when the onions are getting translucent and soft, add marinara sauce (1 cup) and a can of diced tomatoes. Once warm, add back all the other vegetables. When hot, serve over brown rice.

Au gratin potatoes

For experimenting, two le creuset french onion soup dishes, I tried slicing 3 yellow potatoes, layering into both bowls with sprinkles of cheddar and gruyere, then pouring over a sauce made as follows: saute 1/2 onion in 1 1/2 tbl butter. Add 1 1/2 Tbl flour, let brown a little, add milk slowly with stirring. as it gets thick add 1/2 - 3/4 cup grated cheese. pour over potatoes 1/2 way through layering process, layer more, pour the rest of the sauce. The dishes should be about 3/4 the way full. Bake 350 (or 375?) 1 hr. Add cheese and breadcrumbs, bake 15 minutes more.

this recipe could be used with elbow macaroni to make a great mac and cheese.

3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup cream,