Club 3G Recipes

[RULINGCHAOS]

I guess I will start off with some of my favorites. This might be a long one.. but it is so worth it.

ROASTED TURKEY

I serve my turkey juicy and tender, thus it has a slight pink hue along the outer edges of each slice. I certainly cannot and am not advising you to not follow the USDA's guidelines for safely serving poultry to your family. If you, of your own free will, choose to serve your turkey as I do be ready for someone at the table to be "freaked out" by the presence of pink around their turkey. My answer to this always is, "don't eat it, then." You may want to cook your bird a little longer to avoid all of this.

Ingredients
2 Large Yellow or White Onions
1 stalk of celery
4 Large carrots
4 Large Shallots
Olive Oil
½ bunch fresh thyme
½ bunch fresh sage
½ bunch fresh rosemary
Salt and Pepper
Oh yeah... and a turkey



To Make...

1. Make sure the bird is fully thawed by placing it in the refrigerator at least 3 full days before cooking. If, on the night before, it is not thawed, place the turkey in a room temperature bath until it thaws.

2. The night before roasting, clean the turkey by removing the neck and giblets enclosed in the bird. Use them for the gravy, or discard. (See my gravy recipe for more info)

3. Rinse the raw bird completely with cold water, using your hands to "massage" the bird as it is rinsed with the water. Do this all over, and inside the bird's cavity. MAKE SURE that everything you touch is thoroughly cleansed afterwards.

4. Drizzle olive oil into the cavity of the turkey, followed by generous amounts of salt and pepper. Rub the salt and pepper all over the inside wall of the turkey.

5. Drizzle olive oil all over the turkey's breasts, legs, back, etc, rubbing the oil in. Follow it with generous amounts of salt and pepper rubbed all over the bird. The seasonings not only bring out the bird's flavors, but also help to keep the meat tender.

6. Place the bird, breast side up, in his baking pan, preferably on a rack which allows the turkey's drippings to accumulate beneath it.

7. Chop the celery, onions, carrots, peeled shallots, and herbs and mix together in a bowl.

8. Stuff the chopped herbs and vegetables into the cavity of the turkey. This is done to flavor the bird, and will not be eaten.

9. Cover the turkey and keep refrigerated over night.

10. On the day of cooking, remove the bird from the fridge in plenty of time for it to reach room temperature.

11. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

12. Place a fresh layer of olive oil along the outside of the turkey.

13. Place turkey, legs to the back, in the oven for 30 minutes.

14. Your turkey should be beginning to turn golden brown already. (if the bird is quite large, like say 20+ pounds, you may need to add an extra 15 minutes).

15. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees.

16. Place a triangular piece of aluminum foil over the breast and continue cooking DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN CONTINUALLY. Just let the bird cook.

17. Despite common myths, there is no formula based on "minutes per pound" to figure out when your bird will be done. In my experience, an 18 pound turkey will need another 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours of cooking at this point, but you have to use some common sense. You want you turkey's legs to reach 175 degrees, and the breast meat to reach 155 degrees. At that point, you will remove the turkey from the oven, keep it covered and carve it 10 minutes later. I suggest checking your turkey after 1 hour of cooking at 300 degrees and determining at that point how well it's going. Given the choice you'd rather your turkey be done too soon, rather than too late.

[RULINGCHAOS]

TURKEY GRAVY

Great turkey gravy is so much easier than people think. This recipe assumes that you are cooking a whole turkey. Also, this recipe takes advantage of those packaged mixes available at any grocery store which is a hell of a lot easier (and the way I make it) tastier than using flour.


Ingredients
Raw whole turkey giblets and neck
Chicken bouillon cubes
3 packages turkey gravy mix (this assumes that each package calls for 1 cup of water to be added to each package)
water


To Make...

1. Clean the raw turkey and remove the neck and giblets.

2. Place the neck and giblets in a saucepan and cover them with water. Add 2 bouillon cubes and place on the stove on medium low heat.

3. About an hour later, check the water level. If it has dipped below the turkey parts at all, again cover with fresh water and add another bouillon cube. Repeat this as necessary, allowing the neck and giblets to cook a total of at least 3 hours, up to 4.

4. Strain the remaining liquid and discard the solids. You will now have between 2-3 cups of real, fresh turkey broth.

5. Follow the package directions for the gravy (which should be as simple as bringing the package powder and water to a boil) but instead of using water as the package says, use your turkey broth. If you have 2.5 cups of broth, use all 3 packages of gravy mix for thicker gravy, and only two for thinner gravy. You will wind up with a nice tan to brown gravy that tastes better than any turkey gravy you've had.

[RULINGCHAOS]

TURKEY STUFFING

Most dishes come with a little leeway. I often change things to match my own instincts. Some recipes, however, need to be followed. This dish works specifically because of the ingredients listed.

For example, using hot sausage taints the flavor and overruns the stuffing. Using margarine instead of butter changes the consistency and screws things up. Substitute at your own risk. So here are the ingredients for my stuffing recipe...


Ingredients
6 Italian Sausages
1 box seasoned stuffing
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 whole bunch of celery, cut in half (using only the top leafy half. Discard the bottom half. Chop coarsely the top half, including leaves)
28 ounces chicken broth
approx. 1 stick of butter
Olive oil



To Make...

1. Remove the casing (outer film) from the Italian sausage and chop into smaller than bite size pieces (about the size you see on pizzas)

2. Preheat the oven to 325 (see step 11 below for other alternatives)

3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add approx 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then brown the sausages on medium low until still just pink inside. Be careful not to overcook. Discard oil and Reserve sausage.

4. In the saucepan, warm ½ stick of butter of medium heat. Add approx. 7 ounces of chicken broth

5. Add onion, celery and garlic and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring often.

6. Add remaining chicken broth and sausage and mix together

7. Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl and slowly and gently add the sausage/veggie mix. Do not over-mix or the stuffing will turn mushy. Add any seasoning packets that came with the stuffing mix at this time, again gently mixing it in. If, after all the ingredients are added, the stuffing seems dry, add more chicken broth, but do so very sparingly. Remember that more fat from the sausages will cook out and add some moisture to the mix.

8. Place the stuffing mix in a greased or Pam-sprayed baking pan, then cover with aluminum foil.

9. Bake for 45 minutes and check for doneness. If stuffing is still too moist, cook for up to an additional 15 minutes. If it's too dry, add some chicken broth and cook, checking frequently, for approx 5-15 more minutes.

10. Just before serving, pour 2 tablespoons of turkey drippings (from the roasting pan you made your turkey with) into the stuffing mix and stir. If you don't have any turkey drippings, skip this step.

11. If the oven is being used on thanksgiving day, for example, the stuffing can be baked earlier in the day (before the turkey goes in) and reheated for dinner in the microwave until warm. This is not ideal, but it will still produce a great stuffing.

[RULINGCHAOS]

PRIME RIB ROAST
(STANDING RIB ROAST)

If you like, you can use the reserved juices from this dish to make a brown gravy. A VERY easy way to do this is to use those gravy packets from the store. Rather than adding water as the packet recipes says, add the roast drippings instead. (In other words, if the gravy packet says to add 1 cup water to the seasoning packet, add 1 cup of drippings to the packet instead. If your gravy is too thick, add water then).

Ingredients
1 Seven Pound prime beef rib roast (figure about ¾ pound per person. This size should feed 10 people)
Olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and Pepper
Roasting Pan



To Make...

1. Remove your meat from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking it, so it reaches room temperature.

2. Preheat Oven to 475 degrees.

3. Put the roast, fat side up (rib side down) in your roasting pan on a wire rack which allows the drippings of the roast to catch in the bottom of your roasting pan.

4. Rub olive oil all over the roast.

5. Remove the thyme leaves from twigs and press the thyme leaves all over the roast to adhere the thyme directly to the meat.

6. Generously season the entire roast with salt and pepper.

7. Make sure that your meat is at room temperature before cooking it.

8. Roast the meat , uncovered, in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes (DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR DURING THIS TIME!!)

9. Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees and roast for another 90 minutes. The "formula" is around 13 minutes per pound at this stage and this temperature. Check the meat with a meat thermometer. The roast is done when the thermometer reads 115 degrees.

10. Remove the meat from the oven and allow it to rest, covered with aluminum foil for at least 10 minutes and no more than 20. Carve the meat and serve your perfect roast.

[RULINGCHAOS]

CHILE VERDE

This Dish can be made with tomatoes to create a red sauce, but the green version using tomatillos is the authentic way. I hate Americanized Mexican food, so be warned that this is true, authentic Mexican food.

Ingredients
2 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
2.5 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
Flour
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Anaheim Chiles, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 pasilla pepper, cut into cubes
3 fresh jalapenos, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound tomatillos, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
4 cups chicken stock


To Make..

1. Season the pork with a good amount of salt and pepper, then lightly flour each piece.

2. Heat a heavy skillet over medium high and brown the pork cubes in small batches, on all sides. Remove pork and place into a large saucepan.

3. In the skillet, saute the onions and peppers for about five minutes, then add the chiles. Cook for an additional 3 minutes while stirring occasionally.

4. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

5. To the meat, add the sauteed vegetables, chopped tomatillos, herbs and cilantro. Cover with the chicken stock and bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 2 hours until the pork is fork tender, stirring occasionally.

7. Serve with rice, beans and/or tortillas.

[RULINGCHAOS]

LASAGNA


Ingredients
9 unbroken lasagna noodles
2 cups ricotta cheese (low fat is great)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ pound sliced mozzarella
½ pound sliced provolone
1 egg
2-3 cups tomato sauce (with or without meat, your choice)



To Make...

1. Boil a large kettle of water and cook noodles slightly (still slightly firm).

2. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.

3. Preheat oven to 375.

4. Mix together the ricotta, parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper.

5. Very lightly oil (or pam spray) a glass baking pan and spread ½ cup of tomato sauce on bottom.

6. Lay three of the cooked noodles on the top of the sauce.

7. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles.

8. Top with 1/3 of the mozzarella and 1/3 of the provolone. .

9. Top with ½ cup of tomato sauce.

10. Place three more noodles on top of the sauce, and repeat steps 6-8.

11. Top with the final 3 lasagna noodles.

12. Spread the remaining ricotta mixture on the noodles.

13. Top with the sauce.

14. Add the remaining provolone and mozzarella to the top.

15. Sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese on the very top.

16. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes until bubbling and lightly brown. MAKE SURE YOU LET IT COOL FOR AT LEAST 5 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING (otherwise it will fall apart when you cut and try to serve it).

[RULINGCHAOS]

STEAMED CRAB LEGS

I prefer King Crab legs, which are usually available at Costco and most grocery store fish markets. Don't worry whether they are fresh or previously frozen, it really makes little to no difference. You'll need a steamer (usually used for vegetables) to follow this recipe.


This is an incredibly simple dish which comes down to liking crab.


Ingredients
Crab legs, I usually plan 1 pound for each light eater, 2 for big eaters
Butter (specific recipes available on main recipes page)



To Make...

1. Crack the legs in half, so each portion is approximately 6 inches long.

2. Using very sharp scissors, cut a line along one side of the shell (do not cut into the meat). This will make the meat easier to get to after cooking.

3. Using a steamer, fill the pot approximately ½ full with water, making sure that if the water boils, it still will not touch the steaming basket.

4. Place cut crab legs into steamer basket. Do not place basket in steamer.

5. When water gets steaming hot (usually about 10 minutes, you want to see those little air bubbles starting to form in the water). Place basket in steamer and cover. Allow little to no steam to escape through lid.

6. Make your butter. (Simple way to do it - Melt a stick of butter in the microwave, then sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of either garlic salt or lemon pepper.)

7. Allow crabs to steam for 3-4 minutes per pound. Overcooked crab is horrible, as it gets tough. Undercooked crab is gross for obvious reasons, which is why you have to make sure the water is hot enough before adding the crab.

[RULINGCHAOS]

GRILLED, MARINATED TRI-TIP

This marinade guarantees your tri-tip will be flavorful and tender (unless you screw it up). I serve my tri-tip sliced and with a little marinade. This recipe will also work for sandwiches.

I prefer the trip-tip strips, although this same recipe works with tri-tip roasts.


Ingredients for the Marinade
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
Mix together



To Make...

1. Pierce the tri-tip with a fork numerous times (or score with a knife).

2. Either place the tri-tip in a shallow glass dish or in a large Ziploc bag. Cover with marinade. Allow to marinate for at least an hour, and for up to 24 hours. (I usually do 4-8 hours).

3. Place tri-tip on center rack of heated BBQ Grill. Cook over medium-high heat until the center of you meat reaches 115 degrees (If you're using 1 inch thick strips, this will take 3-5 minutes per side). This will produce red/rare center meat and medium rare (pink) meat on the ends. (Quality instant-read meat thermometers are a must unless you are an experienced cooker and can test meat done-ness by feeling the cuts. NEVER cut the meat open to check done-ness, it will dry out the meat).

4. Slice and serve! Great with baked potatoes and a variety of green veggies including asparagus, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts.

[RULINGCHAOS]

PERFECTLY GRILLED STEAKS

There isn't a better cut of steak to grill than the rib-eye. We all have our prejudices for whatever reason towards different cuts, but a boneless rib-eye is bar none, the best steak to grill. This recipe will work with almost any cut, however

This recipe flies in the face of the absurd notion that you should only turn over a grilled steak once. Bullshit.

Additionally, do me the favor of never cooking a steak more than medium rare. If you're going to cook a steak more than that, eat jerky for Christ's sake.


Ingredients
Boneless Rib-Eye Steaks (1 pound each, each with similar thickness)
Pepper
Cayenne
Lawrys Seasoning Salt
Olive oil



To Make...

1. At least one hour prior to grilling (or up to 24 hours ahead of time), pierce the meat of the steaks with a fork or knife. Cover one side of the steaks in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil each.

2. On top of the olive oil, sprinkle seasoning salt, cayenne and freshly ground pepper to taste (I use 1 tablespoon lawrys, 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon pepper per steak).

3. 15 minutes later, repeat on the other side of the steak.

4. Pre-heat Grill at least five minutes on high.

5. Place steaks on lowest shelf of grill, over med-high heat for 1 minute.

6. Turn steaks and cook on opposite side for an additional minute.

7. Turn steaks over again, and move to second shelf of grill. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn over again.

8. Cook steaks to an interior temperature of 115 degrees for a perfectly cooked rare steak.

[RULINGCHAOS]

PERFECTLY GRILLED
LOBSTER TAILS

I prefer large lobster tails to whole lobsters. The meat is more tender, easier to cook, and easier to eat. This recipe produces restaurant quality lobster fairly easily.


Ingredients
2 Lobster Tails, approximately 1 pound each
(Costco, believe it or not, has the best)
Butter



To Make...

(Note: Cooking times will vary slightly based on size of tails.)

1. Using very sharp scissors, cut the lobster tail down the middle of the meat side WITHOUT cutting the shell.

2. Using brute strength, push down on opposite sides of the tail, thus cracking open the tail (butterflying).

3. Pour about ½ cup of melted butter down the middle of each tail and let sit for at least 20 minutes.

4. Fire-up your grill. Allow to heat -up on high for at least 10 mintues.

5. Place lobster tails, meat side down, on lowest shelf of grill, directly over the fire. Lower heat to med-low and let grill for 6 minutes.

6. Turn the lobsters over and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes.

7. Turn lobsters back onto meat side for 30 seconds final cooking.

8. Serve with melted butter, recipes available on site for a variety of butters.



WATCH OUT FOR:

1. Don't let the meat get charred. Make sure the grilled is turned down to med-low and watch for flare-ups. If they occur, move lobsters away from direct heat, or to a higher shelf.

2. Don't overcook the meat. Lobster meat should be tender and bite back when you bite into it. There's nothing worse than overcooked lobster.

[RULINGCHAOS]

BALSAMIC CHICKEN


Ingredients
4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Tablespoons Chopped Garlic
2 Tablespoons Garlic Paste
All purpose flour (approx. 1 cup)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup young, fruity red wine (suggest Merlot)
1 cup Beef Broth
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 14 oz. can Chopped Tomatoes (juice drained)
Salt and Pepper
Onion Powder (or your favorite seasoning spice)
Couscous



To Make...

1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and onion powder. Let stand for 10 minutes, turn and season the opposite side.

2. Most chicken breasts have a natural separation point where part of the breast is and fill it with approximately 1/2 tablespoon of the garlic paste. (If there is no noticeable pocket, use a very sharp knife to create one. Make sure you don't cut all the way through the breast, just deep enough to create a little trough).

3. Fold the pockets back up and dredge each chicken breast in flour. Shake off any excess. You do not want the breast covered in flour, just a thin layer of white will do.

4. Heat a medium sauté pan over high heat with olive oil (just enough to cover the pan). Sauté the chopped garlic for approximately 30-60 seconds.

5. When the oil is quite warm, place each breast in the pan (don't let the oil splash onto you, it is hot!)

6. Allow the chicken to cook until it is golden brown on one side, then turn and do the same. It should take between 5-8 minutes for your chicken to be golden brown on all sides. When you have reached this point, remove the chickens.

7. In the same pan, add more olive oil (again, just enough to cover the pan). Sauté the chopped garlic for approximately 30-60 seconds.

8. Add to the pan the wine, beef broth and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil and let bubble for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

9. Reduce heat to medium, add tomatoes. Place the chicken breasts back in the pan, making sure they get well coated by the sauce. Cover the pan and let cook for 5-10 minutes.

10. Begin couscous as directed on box (the entire couscous operation lasts less than 10 minutes).

11. After the chicken has cooked, cover for 5 minutes, add rosemary and stir into the sauce.

12. When the chicken breasts are cooked all the way through (you can check them with a meat thermometer if you like... they need to be 180 degrees in the middle) turn off heat.





TO SERVE

I suggest spooning a mound of the couscous on the side of everyone's plate. On the other side, place a spoonful of the chicken, then ladle some sauce over the chicken, allowing some to slowly make its way to the couscous. Don't feel like you have to use ALL of the sauce in the chicken pan. It's simply there to flavor the chicken, use only as much as you need to add a little liquid to the plate. (Use a slotted spoon to get all the tomatoes out and onto the plates)

Be warned; couscous gets very mushy very quickly. I do not recommend using the couscous as a bed for the entire dish, allowing sauce to cover it. It will be like chicken oatmeal.




RECOMMENDED SIDE DISHES

There's plenty on the plate already, but there are two great options you can add to this if you need a more balanced meal.

Sourdough/French Bread: Either Garlic style, or served plain and warm. This will allow guests to soak up any remaining liquid. The garlic bread will go nicely with the flavors of the meal.

Mixed Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette: A great salad to serve with this. A simple handful of mixed greens for everyone, with the dressing already on the salad. To make this work, you HAVE to serve a balsamic dressing. Something like Ranch or Bleu Cheese will completely clash with the flavors of the main dish and ruin the whole thing.

To make balsamic is simple; Use excellent Extra virgin Olive Oil and Excellent Balsamic Vinegar. You want the dressing to barely cover all of the salad, as if it has just been rained on (no excess liquid in the bowl!) The right formula is 2 1/2 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic.



RECOMMENDED BEVERAGES

Wine: Traditionally, you drink the same wine you cooked with, that way things match up perfectly. Remember, also, that you should never cook with a wine that isn't good enough to drink.

[RULINGCHAOS]

DEEP FRIED TURKEY


FOR THE SEASONING MIX:
1 cup salt
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons pepper
2 tablespoons onion powder
mixed together

FOR THE MARINADE:
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup Cider vinegar
¼ cup molasses
½ cup honey
1 12 ounce bottle beer
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup creole seasoning (now easily found in grocery stores spice racks, any brand will do)
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
mixed together

FOR THE FRYING:
1 turkey, about 14 pounds
turkey fryer
Peanut oil (approx. 8-12 gallons)



1. Make sure the bird is fully thawed by placing it in the refrigerator at least 3 full days before cooking. If, on the night before, it is not thawed, place the turkey in a room temperature bath until it thaws.
2. The night before roasting, clean the turkey by removing the neck and giblets enclosed in the bird. Use them for the gravy, or discard.
3. Rinse the raw bird completely with cold water, using your hands to "massage" the bird as it is rinsed with the water. Do this all over, and inside the bird's cavity. MAKE SURE that everything you touch is thoroughly cleansed afterwards.
4. Drizzle olive oil into the cavity of the turkey, followed by generous amounts of the mixed together seasoning mix. Rub it all over the inside wall of the turkey.
5. Proceed to the outside of the bird, and rub generous amounts of seasoning mix all over the bird. (You are creating what is called a "dry-rub") The seasonings not only bring out the bird's flavors, but also help to keep the meat tender.
6. Using a large kitchen-use syringe, fill it numerous times with the marinade and injected the turkey. You'll want to lift the skin, and jam the needle directly into the meat of the bird. After doing each injection, gently press down on the area of the bird you injected to evenly disburse the marinade.
7. Fill your large pot approx. ¾ full with peanut oil and heat to 325 degrees. Carefully lower the bird into the oil as directed by the fryer's manufacturer.
8. Allow 3 minutes per pound before checking the turkey. To do so safely, have someone raise the turkey completely above the oil, allowing you to test the thigh and breasts area with a meat thermometer. The turkey is done when the thigh reaches 175 degrees and the breasts reach 155 degrees.
9. Place the done bird on a roasting pan which as been covered with brown paper bags. Let bird rest for 10 minutes, then carve.

[RULINGCHAOS]

SHRIMP WITH FETA CHEESE
AND COUSCOUS
(aka "Burned Hand casserole")


Ingredients
1 Large Yellow or White Onion
Olive Oil
3 large beefsteak tomatoes or 8 Plum tomatoes (plum preferred)
10 Leaves Basil
1 Tablespoon minced Garlic (more if you like it, I usually use 2-3 tablespoons)
Salt and Pepper
1 pound medium size shrimp, no tails and pre-cooked
12 ounces Feta cheese (the best kind is the Feta with Garlic and/or tomato & basil added)
1 box couscous (found usually right next to the rice, sometime in the health/natural aisle)
Cayenne pepper (if you like a little spiciness)



To Make...

1. Slice the onion into half rings, then slice again creating bite sized slices (like you get on a hamburger).

2. Chop the tomatoes into cubes, chop the basil.

3. In a sauté pan, add just enough olive oil to cover the surface in one thin layer, turn heat to medium/high.

4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

5. Sauté the onions, stirring occasionally for approximately 3-5 minutes, until they are soft (don't let them brown! If they start to brown, turn the heat down).

6. Add the chopped tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, and garlic. Stir regularly for approximately 5 minutes.

7. Add salt, pepper and cayenne to suit your taste.

8. Add the shrimp and cook & stir for one minute.

9. Remove the mixture from the stove and transfer to a shallow baking dish.

10. Cover the top of the dish with the Feta cheese.

11. Place the baking dish on the center rack of the oven for 10 minutes.

12. Prepare the couscous on the stove top (should take less than 10 minutes total).

13. Serve the couscous in a separate bowl (otherwise it gets mushy quickly, although the two dishes are meant to be eaten simultaneously).

14. When you remove the baking dish, it's your call as to what to do with the juice that has formed. I usually serve the shrimp/feta mixture with a slotted spoon, as I find the liquid makes everything too wet.



RECOMMENCED SIDE DISHES

I usually serve this as is. However, a salad before or on the side would go great with this. I would recommend a simple mixed greens salad, with of course, some feta sprinkled over the top.



RECOMMENCED BEVERAGES

Wine: This is the perfect example of a dish that goes with any wine you enjoy. Because of the feta & shrimp flavors, a crisp, fruity chardonnay from Phelps or Meridian would be great. Thanks to the olive oil, cheese and overall consistency, a buttery Chardonnay from Rombauer or Grgich Hills would work well also. Or, because of the flavor of the couscous and toasty-ness of the garlic, you could go with a bigger, fuller, toasty flavored Chardonnay from Toasted Head or Pride.

If you prefer red wine, the tomatoes lend themselves nicely to a merlot from Niebaum-Coppola, or a young Caberent, perhaps from Meridian.

If you use the cayenne, the spiciness also makes Champaign a good choice.

Others: Good ol' beer is also great with this, because it cuts through the spiciness. Hell, even Ice-cold milk or Coca-Cola would be good with this

[RULINGCHAOS]

SPICY SAUSAGE
AND POTATO SOUP


Ingredients
1 Pound smoked spicy sausage (Hot links) sliced into rounds
2 Tablespoons chopped Garlic
2 Cups yellow onions, sliced
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 pounds white potatoes, diced into 1/8ths ( I don't peel mine, your choice)
8 cups Chicken stock/broth
1 Tablespoons fresh, chopped thyme (or 2 tablespoons thyme leaves from jar)
Salt and Pepper
2 Bay Leaves
Cayenne pepper

To Make...

1. In a large soup Pot, cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of olive oil and allow to heat briefly. Add the onions. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste. (If you are unsure of the spiciness you want, use only 1 teaspoon of cayenne at this point, you can always add more at the end). Sauté the onions, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the sausage, stir, cook for 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves and thyme.

4. Add the potatoes and broth and bring to a boil.

5. Turn the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Stir often.

6. Check the seasoning. Add salt, pepper and cayenne to suit your taste.

7. Remove the Bay Leaves and serve.



RECOMMENDED SIDE DISHES

The old standards remain true here. Salad and/or bread are great with this.

Because of the heartiness of the sausage and the potato, nothing else is necessary to fill you up.



RECOMMENCED BEVERAGES

Wine: Many will say that you shouldn't drink wine with soup. These people are dumb-asses. Because of the spice of the dish, a crisp white would do very well here. I would recommend a Fume-Blanc (my favorite is made by Ferrari-Carano and costs only $9 per bottle)

If you need more body to your white wine, a Chardonnay with a lot of citrus (Joseph Phelps) would be very good. I would avoid Chardonnays with a lot of butter and or toast flavors (Rombauer, Pride, etc.)

For red wine lovers, you want a full-bodied, spicy wine to stand up to the depth and spice of this soup. You'll need a big merlot (Ferrari Carano, Rombauer) or any good cabernet ready for the challenge. I recently had this soup with a bottle of 1994 Beringer Knights Valley Caberent.

Others: Good ol' beer is also great with this, because it cuts through the spiciness and the beer flavor goes great with the sausage.