Contest-Winning Recipes

Jules here-

As an avid fan of Top Chef and Iron Chef, I have longed to compete against a master chef (o.k., maybe not compete--- but to eat with one... that would be great....).  Well, my desire came true on Saturday night when my fantastic-foodie friend, Don, and I competed for "Top Soup of New Hampshire" (well...at least on our street...)

I scoured the internet for recipe ideas, and I came across several options for the classic New England clam chowder.  I combined several different recipes to create the ultimate contest-winning recipe:

Ingredients:
For the Chowder
1/4# Bacon (turkey or regular)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 Cup)
2 TBS butter
1/4 Cup flour
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 Cup)
14 oz can of clam stock
1# peeled and diced (about 1" cubes) potatoes (about 4 cups, chopped)
3 6.5oz cans of chopped clams (reserve juice)
2 Cups Half & Half (or half milk/heavy cream or combination)
1 can drained whole kernel corn

For the Croutons 
1/2 Loaf of baguette, cubed
2-3 TBS butter
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
salt & pepper

Melt butter in pan. Add bread cubes and toss until coated and toasted.  Toss salt, pepper and parsley and turn off heat.

Directions:
1. Chop and cook bacon in large stock pot. Cook until almost crisped, remove from pot.
2. Add celery, onions & 2 TBS butter to pot. Saute vegetables until softened (about 4-5 minutes).
3. Add clam juice from the clam cans and add flour with whisk until blended.
4. Add clam stock and potatoes.  If potatoes aren't covered in liquid, add water (less than 1 cup)
5. Simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes are softened, but not too soft.
6. Add 2 cups half & half, clams, and corn.
7. Simmer additional 5-6 minutes until heated through.
8. Serve with croutons and enjoy!

Serves about 6-8---depending on how hungry everyone is.

Now, I shall not leave you with just one recipe-- the night was a delight for our tummies... and we had TWO delicious soups to experience. Don's soup was fantastic and the judges were divided; unfortunately for him the three child-judges did not have such a refined palate for spices.  I swept the children's vote, but I honestly am quite partial to this fantastic soup.  This originates on foodnetwork.com and Don added a few tweaks (like using roasted corn) that made this fantastic.

Mexican Chicken Stew

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
Few dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
1 lime
1 cup cooked white rice
Kosher salt
Sour cream, for garnish
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and sweat until soft and translucent. Add spices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and aromatic. Add tomatoes, chicken, Worcestershire, and stock.

Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.

Cut the lime in half, squeeze juice into the pot, and then add the juiced halves as well.

Add white rice and cook 5 minutes longer to warm rice through. Season, to taste, with salt.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

© 2014 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dave-lieberman/mexican-chicken-stew-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback


Easy Rule #4241 Spice up the winter season by starting new traditions with neighbors and friends!