Chef Lauren Genco

The Mad Greek and his class were visited today by
Pastry Chef Lauren Genco, showing us her skills! CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES!!! :-D
Thanks Lauren!!!
Lauren received a Bachelor of Baking and Pastry Arts from the Culinary Institute of America. After graduation, Lauren was a teaching assistant at the C.I.A. before joining Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes in NYC. While at Confetti Cakes, Lauren had the opportunity to work on many exciting projects including assisting Elisa on a Food Network Challenge titled “The Last Cake Standing.” 
(recipe to follow)

Thanks Chef,  for Showing our class all about "Chocolate Truffles"!!

Chicken Penne Arrabiata

Chicken Penne Arrabiata

Ingredients

TT olive oil

1 garlic crushed

TT red pepper flakes

½ cup  diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil

1/2 (cup) crushed tomatoes

TT Tom paste

1 fresh basil, chopped

12 (ounce) dried penne pasta

TT bread crumbs

1 (teaspoon) garlic powder

1 (teaspoon) salt

1 (teaspoon) pepper

1 cup diced chicken

Sliced olives & capers for garnish

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and sauté for a few minutes. Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes, and sauté for another minute. Pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, tom paste and add the basil. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta, and cook for 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain.

Sauté chicken, mix in bread crumbs, pour over pasta

Top with slice olives & capers

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with

Avocado Salsa

 Chicken:

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 4 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast 

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

Salsa:

1 cup chopped plum tomato (about 2)

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 avocado, peeled and finely chopped

Preparation

1. To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss and let stand 3 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.

2. To prepare salsa, combine tomato and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Add avocado; stir gently to combine. Serve salsa over chicken.

Chicken Tortilla Bake

Chicken Tortilla Bake

TT olive oil

1/4 cup sliced onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

TT chili powder

TT ground cumin

TT pepper

¼ cup diced tomatoes

¼ cup corn

2 tortillas

TT sour cream

TT Monterrey Jack cheese

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

TT Chili peppers

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Place onion mixture in a blender container; add tomatoes. Blend until smooth.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in pureed tomato mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce cooks down and thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer sauce to a bowl; set aside.

Wipe skillet clean. Pour vegetable oil into skillet, to a depth of about 1/4 inch. Heat over medium-high heat; fry tortillas, one at a time, just a few seconds on each side. Transfer tortillas to paper towels to drain.

Place 2 tortillas in a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Layer with about one-quarter of the sauce, one-quarter of sour cream, one-quarter of shredded cheese, and 1 cup of chicken. Lay 6 chili slices on chicken. Top with 2 more tortillas. Repeat to make another layer. Top with remaining tortillas, sauce, sour cream, and cheese. Cover casserole with foil and bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. Cool chicken tortilla casserole slightly before serving.

Chicken and Biscuits

Chicken and Biscuits

1 chicken breast

TT chicken stock

¼ cup onion, chopped

TT dried leaf thyme

TT black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

T tbs  all-purpose flour

TT cup heavy cream

TT cooked frozen peas & corn

TT Broccoli

salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Put the chicken in a large saucepan with the chicken broth, onion, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue cooking at a low simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the broth; reserve the broth and set aside.  Grease an 8- or 9-inch baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Heat the oven to 375°.    Dice  chicken put  in the baking dish.  Sprinkle the cooked peas or peas and carrots over the chicken in the baking dish.  In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the chicken broth and continue cooking, stirring, until thickened. Add the heavy cream, along with salt and pepper, to taste.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables.

Biscuits:

 1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar, optional

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

 1/2 cups heavy cream

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, sugar (optional), and parsley. Blend well.  With a fork, stir in the heavy cream until moistened. Turn the dough mixture out onto a floured surface and, with floured hands, knead 3 or 4 times, just until the dough holds together. Pat into a circle about 1/2-inch thick and cut out with 1 3/4 to 2-inch biscuit cutters. Arrange the biscuits over the hot chicken and sauce mixture in the baking dish.

Gather the dough scraps together and cut out more biscuits, placing on the chicken mixture or on a greased baking sheet or pan. Repeat until all of the dough is used.  Bake the chicken and biscuits and the plain biscuits until browned, about 20 to 24 minutes.

Salmon Crab Cakes

Salmon Crab Cakes

Ingredients

½ Cup Mayo 

TT Bread crumbs

1/4 cup diced onions

TT all purp flour

1 egg

1/4 cup crab meat

1 fillet salmon (broken in flakes)

TT olive oil

¼ cup black beans

¼ cup corn

TT red pepper flakes

Procedure

Add to Bowl Mayo, bread crumbs, flour, beans, corn,Onion, Egg, Crab Meat and Salmon. Place Oil in skillet and heat. Oil is ready when the oil sizzles

Take from fridge and form mixture into palm sized patties for burger size Or use a spoon to scoop for smaller bite sized. Mixture will be slightly sticky

Place in remaining Bread crumbs, both sides  Place in skillet

Cook approx 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown

When removing from skillet place on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil

Serve with rice topped with sauce below

Remoulade Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon  mustard

 1 Tbsp sweet paprika

1-2 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon pickle juice (dill or sweet, your preference)

1 teaspoon hot sauce (preferably Tabasco)

1 large clove garlic, minced and smashed

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl-let the flavors meld.

Caribbean Sea Bass with Avocado Salsa

Caribbean Sea Bass with Avocado Salsa

INGREDIENTS

1              skinless sea bass fillets (4 ounces each), about 1 inch thick

1              teaspoon Caribbean jerk seasoning { recipe below }

TT onion powder

 TT dried thyme

 TT ground allspice

 TT ground black pepper

TT ground cinnamon

 TT cayenne pepper

TT salt

TT vegetable oil

Nonstick cooking spray

Salsa

1/4 cup diced avocados

¼ cup diced onions

¼ cup diced yellow peppers

¼ cup diced tomatoes

tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

teaspoon  fresh lime juice

TT Hot Sauce

PREPARATION:

In a 375* Oven. Sprinkle fish with seasoning; coat lightly with cooking spray. Bake in oven till it flakes

Meanwhile, combine avocado salsa, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeño pepper in small bowl; mix well. Serve salsa over fish. Serve with rice, potato or pasta!