basil

Course: 
  • 6 untreated cedar planks (8 to 10 inches long)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  •  6-ounce fillets of fresh fish (redfish, speckled trout, or salmon work the best)
  • 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
  • 3 Creole tomatoes
  • 1 cup basil pesto (Recipe follows)
  • 1/2 cup balsamic syrup

Chef Sclafani's Basil Pesto:

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
  • 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Cedar Plank Redfish

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Course: 
  •  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  •  3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  •  1 red and 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
  •  20 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  •  coarse salt to taste
  •  freshly ground black pepper to taste
  •  1 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or water (or more, to taste)
  •  1/2 cup dry white wine
  •  2 to 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or to taste
  •  4 to 6 slices Italian bread, toasted or lightly dried out in oven
  •  grated Parmesan cheese, optional
  •  chopped basil and parsley, optional

Garlic and Tomato Soup

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Course: 
  • 1/4 cup plus teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ​1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 chicken boullon cube
  • 4 cups tomato sauce, two 14 1/2 ounce cans or homemade preferred
  • 2 cups tomato juice
  • 3 large peeled fresh tomatoes or 14 1/2 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup fresh basil, thinly slices and loosely packed
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • dash of white pepper
  • 8 ounces of fresh lump crabmeat,  picked clean of shells

Creamy Tomato Bisque With Lump Crabmeat

Creamy Tomato Bisque With Lump Crabmeat 

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  • 4 cubes Bao Long brand pho base (any flavor) plus 2½ quarts water OR
  • 2½ quarts broth (chicken, beef, vegetarian, whatever) simmered for 20 minutes over medium-low heat with a 1-inch piece lemongrass, 4 pieces star anise, 1/2-inch piece cinnamon bark and 2 pieces crushed garlic, then strained
  • ​choose 1 or more: 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced; 8 ounces left-over filet; 1/2 pound peeled and deveined Gulf shrimp; 1 package frozen Asian soup dumplings (any variety)
  • ​1 cup sliced shitaake mushrooms
  • 3 baby boy choy, thinly sliced
  • ​2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • ​fresh mug beans sprouts and/or shredded cabbage (any variety)
  • Thai basil
  • ​cilantro
  • ​lime juice
  • ​Sriracha and/or garlic chile paste
  • sliced jalapeno peppers
  • ​fried shallots or fried garlic 

Fake (Faux) Pho

Pho

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Course: 
  • Olive oil as needed
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups yellow onion, finely diced
  • 6 cups very ripe tomatoes, 1/2" dice
  • 4 28-ounce cans whole plum tomatoes, perferably from the San Marzano area of Italy, shredded by hand, hard cores discarded
  • 3/4 cups dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth or more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Fresh Tomato Sauce 

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Course: 

6 veal
shanks, cut 2 inches tall (ask your butcher to cut the shanks for osso bucco and
tie a string around each one so they won’t fall apart when cooking)

For the Rub:

  • 3/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon crushed
    red chili flakes
  • 1 tablespoon chopped
    rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup  extra virgin olive oil

To Roast the Veal:

  • 1 carrot peeled and cut into
    thirds
  • 1 onion peeled and cut into thirds
  • 1 celery stalk washed and cut into
    thirds
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 4 cups chicken broth

For the Breading:

  • 4 cups dried bread crumbs
  • 6 whole eggs
  • 1 cup whole
    milk
  • 3 cups all
    purpose flour

For the Basil Pesto Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon pine
    nuts, not toasted
  • 1 clove  garlic, sliced
    thin
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher
    salt
  • 1/2 cup extra
    virgin olive oil
  • 2 packed cups fresh
    basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 2 tablespoons  grated Pecorino Romano
  • 1/4 cup sour
    cream

Chef Alon Shaya

Alon Shaya 


  • 36 shucked fresh Louisiana oysters
  • 3/4 cup sweet, thick Chinese soy sauce or Indonesian soy sauce (kejap manis)
  • 2 ounces chile-garlic sauce
  • 2/3 cup self-rising flour
  • 2/3 cup self-rising yellow corn meal
  • 2/3 cup self-rising white corn meal
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 gallon (approximately) peanut oil
  • 1 cup sweet chile sauce
  • 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
  • 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Sweet and Spicy Sesame Oysters

Sweet and Spicy Sesame Oysters

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