recipes and a rave

I'll begin with the rave. Um, I don't know that I have ever described a CD as sexy before, but that is exactly how I will describe my new favorite music. Sexy. It is absolutely wonderful!! He reminds me of Elliot Yamin a little bit because of the raspy/soul voice. Definitely way better, though. Check him out! Now on to the recipes!

Tortilla Pie with Chicken -serves 4
12 corn tortillas (6-inch), toasted
2 cups cooked, shredded dark-meat chicken
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles
1 1/2 cups Green or Red Salsa (recipe below)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, layer 4 tortillas, 1 cup chicken, 1/4 cup chiles, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat once. Top with remaining tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Bake until top is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.

Green or Red Salsa
8 tomatillos (for Red Salsa, substitute 6 plum tomatoes, halved)
1 onion, halved
1 to 2 jalapenos, halved (ribs and seeds removed, if desired)
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
Coarse salt

On a rimmed baking sheet, broil tomatillos, onion, jalapenos, and garlic until lightly charred, 4 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Thin with 1/2 to 3/4 cup water, and season with salt.

*This is DELICIOUS and really easy. I did the green salsa and had a ton of it left, so I will use less tomatillos next time. Also, I used white meat...duh. Final note, I got 5-6 servings.

Cioppino - serves 4
1/4 cup (3 turns around the pan in a slow stream) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 to 3 flat fillets of anchovies, drained
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup good quality dry white wine
1 (14-ounce) container chicken stock
1 (32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed (about 1 tablespoon)
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 1/2 pounds cod, cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
8 large shrimp, ask for deveined easy-peel or peel and devein
8 sea scallops
16 to 20 raw mussels, scrubbed
A loaf of fresh, crusty bread, for mopping

In a large pot over moderate heat combine oil, crushed pepper, anchovies, garlic, and bay. Let anchovies melt into oil. The anchovies act as a natural salt, the pepper flakes will infuse the oil, providing heat.
Chop celery and onion near stove and add to the pot as you work. Saute vegetables for a few minutes to begin to soften and add wine to the pot. Reduce wine a minute, then add chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, and parsley. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to medium low.
Season fish chunks with salt and pepper. Add fish and simmer 5 minutes, giving the pot a shake now and then. Do not stir your soup with a spoon after the addition of fish or you will break it up. Add shrimp, scallops, and mussels and cover pot. Cook 10 minutes, giving the pot a good shake now and again.
Remove the lid and discard any mussels that do not open. Carefully ladle stew into shallow bowls and pass bread at the table.

*This is really good, too. I had been itching to make this soup, so when Central Market had all their shellfish on sale, I decided to find myself a recipe that looked like I could handle it. I know it may look a bit intimidating, but if you do the chopping ahead of time, it really isn't bad. Again, I got more than 4 servings from it.

Refrigerator Pie -serves 6
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
2 eggs
2 pinches kosher salt
Freshly grated nutmeg

For 1 Refrigerator Pie:
1 frozen 9-inch pie crust

Any one of the following combinations:
Cooked spinach, cheddar cheese, cubed cooked ham
Bacon, Sauteed leeks, and Gruyere cheese (this is what I used)
Cooked spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and Parmesan cheese
Roasted chicken, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes
Blanched asparagus and smoked salmon

In a nonreactive, stainless steel bowl, combine the cream or half-and-half and the eggs. Whisk until combined thoroughly. Add the salt and the nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
Refrigerator Pie Rules: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Evenly distribute the pie fillings in the pie crust. Do not overfill the crust with the filling ingredients. Do not pour too much royale into the crust. The eggs will expand upon cooking. Bake the pie until it is firm to the touch like set Jell-O, about 45 minutes. Cool the pie for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

*I made this for a breakfast at Suz's bachelorette party and it was a hit. Unless my friends were just being really nice...I made it again for myself to eat on over spring break and I used milk instead and couldn't tell a difference. I also used 3 eggs the second go-round and thought it had a little more substance that way.

Happy cooking and music-listening! :)