Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili with Cilantro-Lime Finish January 28, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili with Cilantro-Lime Finish 2016-01-28 15:08:32 Serves 6 Print Ingredients 1 T. olive oil 1 large green pepper, seeded, large dice 1 poblano pepper, seeded, large dice 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced 1 medium onion, large dice 1 T. minced garlic 1 1/2 T. ground cumin, divided 1 1/2 t. ground coriander, divided 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 T. lime juice 1/2 t. salt 1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt or non-fat sour cream (optional) 1/4 cup cilantro leaves (optional) Instructions Using the “sauté” function* on the slow cooker, heat oil until shimmering. Add peppers, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, beans and broth to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on “high” for 4-6 hours or “low” for 8-10 hours. Shred chicken with a fork and stir in the reserved cumin and coriander, the lime juice and salt. Serve in individual bowls garnished with cilantro and yogurt. Notes *If your slow cooker lacks a sauté function, cook as directed in a skillet over medium heat. Then add the contents to the slow cooker. By Lynn Dugan Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Chef Kelly’s Favorite Chocolate Cake January 25, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Chef Kelly's Favorite Chocolate Cake 2016-01-25 17:11:01 Print Ingredients 3¾ cups sugar 3 1/3 cups flour 1 cup cocoa powder 3 t. baking powder 3 t. baking soda 2 ½ t. salt 4 eggs 16 oz. milk ¾ cup vegetable oil 2½ t. vanilla 16 oz. boiling water Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. In a different bowl, combine eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla. Add wet ingredients into the dry with paddle attachment on medium speed. After combined, add the boiling water. Fill 3 9-inch round pans 2/3 full and bake at 350 until cake tests done and begins to pull from the sides of the pan, about 20 minutes. Kelly loves to serve this cake with Warm Caramel Sauce In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter with 2/3 cup brown sugar; add in 2 T. brewed coffee, 2 T. corn syrup, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, cool slightly and drizzle over cake and serve. By Kelly Sears Adapted from Chef Nancy Carey Adapted from Chef Nancy Carey Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Herbed Biscuits & Ham Sandwiches January 21, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Herbed Biscuits / Ham Sandwiches 2016-01-21 15:51:35 Yields 8 Print Ingredients 8 T. unsalted cold butter, cubed 2 cups flour (I use half white whole wheat) 1 t. sugar 1 T. baking powder ¼ t. kosher salt ¾ t. baking soda 2 T. chopped fresh dill 2 T. chopped fresh mint 2 T. chopped fresh flat parsley 2 T. chopped fresh tarragon ¾ cups buttermilk Optional mustard honey sliced ham bread butter pickles Instructions Preheat oven to 450. Put cubed butter in freezer. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and herbs in a food processor. Pulse to combine. (If you don’t have all the herbs called for, just make sure you use ½ C. herbs total.) Drop in butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Pour in buttermilk and pulse until mixture just comes together. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat into a rectangle, then cut into thirds. Stack thirds on top of each other and pat out into a rectangle again. Repeat twice, then pat into a 4x12 inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise and then into 8 square biscuits. Bake on greased or parchment-lined baking sheet until puffed and golden, 10-12 minutes. To make sandwiches, split biscuits and spread with mustard and honey. Top with ham and pickles and make into sandwiches. By Carolyn Raber Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
Trends, Backstories and the Potato by Deb Forkins January 19, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment The Chicago Trib just ran an article on Food and Drink Trends for 2016. According to the senior food editor Brett Thorn at National Restaurant News, “the overarching trend is people want to feel more connected with the food. They want to know the back story.” Well, FOM (Friends of Marcel’s) have been ahead of that trend for quite some time! Our chefs blend their culinary-inspired passions with backstories and love of place to bring you unique and inspiring class recipes and experiences. Our blog posts are full of food associations and recipes from our aunt’s cookbooks or our trip to Paris. Visit one of our free Tuesday Demos and learn why that particular recipe is so special to your demonstrator/hostess. It’s difficult for all FOMs to strip a dish from the context and the company with which it was consumed. Personally, I uncovered the backstory of the lowly potato this August while traveling to Cusco, Peru and the Incan Trail. I always associated the potato with Ireland, but actually the first potato crops can be traced back to the ancient Incan culture of Peru thousands of years ago. In 1536 the Spanish Conquistadors conquered Peru discovering the flavors of the potato (along with the gold) and carried the tubers back to Europe. Within 4 decades from that time, most of Europe, including Ireland, was farming potatoes. Much like our Native North Americans, the Incans revere all living things – particularly Pachymama, Mother Earth, and all things that she provides. Peru has over 3,500 kinds of potatoes, all with names that evoke an intimate connection, “best black woman,” “best red woman,” “makes the daughter-in-law cry,” “like an old bone” to name a few. One or more kind of potatoes are served at every meal. The Incans have always been farmers extraordinaire. A mountainous terrain does not lend itself to a farming culture, but the ancient Incans were architectural wizards and tamed the landscape with now famous terraces. The Andean countryside is punctuated with amazing terraces that date back thousands of years, still pristine but unused as they have been deemed historic landmarks. Today, the typical Incan farmer rents a small plot of land and feeds his family from his land, selling any surplus stock he might have. Through serendipitous events, Marc and I visited one such farm family while in Peru, high in the Andes several hours from Cusco. We were immediately embraced by Marcello (south American cousin of Marcel’s???) and his family. We spent the afternoon learning their culture, conversing through an “unprofessional” interpreter who was also our driver. We walked their small property which included the garden of potato tubers, quinoa plants, corn and assorted vegetables, the llamas they raised for wool, the plants they collected knowing which color each plant leaf or root would impart to the wool, and the large wooden loom which is central to every Incan home turning the wool into magnificent blankets and clothing. We were their guests for lunch, and sat in their one room mud block home, as the women prepared many varieties of potatoes (all amazingly delicious) over an open fire. Marcello displayed samples of his produce on a blanket spread on the ground. Marcello’s daughters showed us how to make yarn from the harvested wool, and we dyed the yarn gold. The tall peaks of the Andes surrounded us, the sun was high and the air was crisp and fresh. It was an absolutely magical day, one we will never forget, along with a newfound love for the potato.
New Year, Old Recipe by Jenny Chang January 15, 2016 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment At the start of every new year, I get the urge to hunker down in the kitchen and get cooking. This time, I was inspired to cook an old Korean favorite, JaJang Myun (noodles with black bean sauce). As a child, this was a signature dish my father would make and we kids would all slurp our noodles with enjoyment. I know it’s generally not polite to make such noises while you dine. However for most Asians, it’s perfectly acceptable to slurp your noodles. In fact, it’s encouraged. Slurping your noodles is a sign that you enjoy your meal. So as I sit in my kitchen, sitting around the island, slurping my JaJang Myun, I smile as I watch my 3 kids slurp their noodles and see the ring of black bean sauce cover the corners of their mouths. It’s heaven seeing them enjoy the same dish I relished so often as a child. So I leave you with this thought… what dish will you make that allows the people in your life the joy of making sounds as they eat the dish you so lovingly prepared for them? Take these little sounds as a sign that they thoroughly enjoy your meal! JaJang Sauce 2016-01-12 20:22:01 Print Ingredients ½-3/4 lb. boneless pork chop or pork belly, diced 1 large zucchini, diced 1 yellow onion, diced 3 potatoes, peeled and diced ½ cup black bean paste (available at most Asian grocery stores) 3 T. safflower, vegetable or canola oil 1 ½ T. corn starch, mixed with ¼ cup cold water julienne cucumber slices for garnish Korean style thick wheat noodles* (1lb), cook according to package directions Instructions Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large sauté pan and sauté pork until golden and crispy. Add potatoes, onions and zucchini. Cook for another 3 minutes, until onions are almost translucent. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the remaining oil. Add the black bean paste to the center of the pan where the well was made and cook the paste for a few minutes. After a few minutes, mix the paste in with the rest of the vegetables to ensure a nice coat. Add 2-3 cups of water, just enough to cover all of the vegetables and pork. Bring to a slow boil and reduce to a simmer. Add corn starch mixture and slowly stir, allowing the sauce to thicken. Simmer on low for another 5 minutes. Portion noodles into individual pasta dishes and cover with sauce. Garnish with cucumber slices. Enjoy! Notes *Linguine pasta can be used in place of Korean noodles, however it does taste best with Korean noodles. Alternately, you can serve on top of rice. By Jenny Chang Adapted from Maangchii Real Korean Cooking Cookbook Adapted from Maangchii Real Korean Cooking Cookbook Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/