Michael returns to his days in Miami for this inexpensive party full of hot and hearty Cuban favorites. With recipes for Ropa Vieja, Double Fried Plantains, Black Beans and cumin scented rice, Caipirinha
Gameplan 1 Day Before Party:
Simmer steak and vegetables for Ropa Vieja.
Soak and rinse black beans for Cuban Black Beans. Simmer beans with ham hock. Chop and sauté onion, garlic and chilies and blend with one half of cooked beans. Mash mixture, return to pot and cook.
Remove steak from broth to cool. Strain broth and return to pot to simmer and reduce.
Tear steak into bite-size strips.
Chop and sauté onions, garlic and peppers for Ropa Vieja.
Season black bean mixture.
Dice tomatoes and add to Ropa Vieja mixture with reduced broth. Simmer mixture and finish with shredded meat and parsley. Cool and store in refrigerator overnight.
Strain black beans, cool and store in refrigerator overnight.
1 Hour Before Party:
Peel and slice plantains for Fried Plantains. Deep fry plantains, smash, and fry again. Season and keep warm.
Sauté rice in cumin and butter for Cumin Scented Rice. Simmer rice mixture with lime juice and water. Keep warm.
Reheat Ropa Vieja.
Reheat Cuban Black Beans.
At the Party:
Blend and serve Caipirinha Cocktails.
Serve Ropa Vieja with Cuban Black Beans, Cumin Scented Rice and Fried Plantains.
Eat and Enjoy!
Sara makes a one-dish party meal in under an hour. Recipes: Caesar Salad; Sausage, Ricotta and Mozzarella Lasagna; Bananas with Sugar and Creme Fraiche.
Tonight its all about casseroles! You may be thinking green beans and mushroom soup or tuna and potato chips. Well, tonight Emeril is gonna change the way you think of that one pot wonder...the casserole.
Walter Staib of City Tavern, one of the oldest restaurants in the country and old hangout of our forefathers makes West Indies Pepper Pot Soup, Thomas Jefferson's Sweet Potato Biscuits, Herbed Spaetzle and Tavern Turkey Stew with Fried Oysters.
Brian throws a Sausage shindig for The Secret Society Scooter Club. They take him in as one of their own, but will his tasty recipes make them divulge the secret? Find Out.
It's a one pot meal that's even better the day after. Learn the basics for a slow cooked, hearty stew. Recipes include: Beef Stew.
For How-To, click here.
Lasagna is one of the most beloved Italian dishes and Aida shares two of her favorite recipes. First, her family's Sweet Sausage and Three Cheese Lasagna. Then a unique Pesto Lasagna that everyone will love.
Jack asks Frederic for some finger food assistance with some pointers for perfect party dips.
Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
Blender
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Dry measuring cups
Rubber spatula
Measuring spoons
Large pot
Large bowl
Vegetable peeler
Spider or slotted spoon
Pairing knife
Sieve or colander
Coffee filter
Zester or rasp
Pepper mill
Tips:Blanching and Shocking:
Blanch vegetables for only 10 – 20 seconds in heavily salted water. For a crudite, the vegetables should still be crisp, not soft and mushy.
Shocking in ice water helps stop the cooking process and helps set the bright color of vegetables.
Salting the water also helps set the color, and it draws out flavor.
If you only have 1 pot to use for blanching, then blanch the mildest vegetables first, and proceed to the strongest flavored ones.
Fresh basil:
It is imperative to use fresh basil (as opposed to dried) to make the Basil Aioli, as it adds flavor, color, and texture.
Basil is highly perishable; look for unblemished leaves with no dark spots. Do not wash or cut basil until immediately before using. Store basil in your refrigerator, wrapped in damp but well-wrung paper towels covered with plastic wrap or in a plastic bag.
Draining yogurt:
Place plain or low-fat yogurt in a coffee filter set in a sieve set over a bowl, and let sit for 1 – 2 hours until thickened.
This restores some creaminess and lends more body to watery yogurt without adding fat.
Recipe Rescues:The dip is too thin – Add more mayonnaise to the Basil Aioli. Add more drained yogurt plus a few more red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes to the Roasted Red Pepper and Sun-dried Tomato Dip. Blend again.
The dip is too thick – Add 1 tablespoon water and blend again. Add more water if necessary.
Vegetables are over-blanched – Try to prevent overcooking by immediately plunging blanched vegetables into an ice water bath to stop the cooking. It is better to undercook vegetables for a crudite, and then blanch them again briefly.
If your vegetables are wilted or dried out – Follow instructions for properly storing different types of vegetables. Do not wash vegetable
A little planning ahead can make all the difference when watching your weekly budget. Dave discusses the pit-falls of coming home from work and having take-out because there is nothing to eat or cook with. He solves this dilemma by cooking several dishes on the weekend and saving them in the fridge and freezer for the mid-week crunch. He'll show you three one-pot main courses and a salad that can be prepped ahead leaving only one or two additional purchases to round out each meal. Recipes include: Boston Lettuce Salad with Avocado Lime Dressing, Moroccan Chickpea Stew, Braised Shoulder Lamb Chops with Kale and Beans and Red Wine Pot Roast.