September 15th, 2011 · 4 Comments
As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program CCR was selected to participate in a cheese tasting sampling Sargento natural cheese against any processed cheese of our choice. As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a $25 American Express gift card to use toward the purchase of:
¤ One package of your favorite Sargento natural cheese variety
¤ Choice of cheese pairings (crackers, dried fruit)
¤ Choice of processed cheese to compare to Sargento.
The Competitors
Sargento Sharp Cheddar VS Generic American Cheese
Sargento Sharp Cheddar VS Generic American Cheese
One the left side is our competitor, the generic processed cheese food, American cheese. And on the right side is our challenger, the package of Sargento Natural Sharp Cheddar. Both cheeses squaring off in our taste sampling test.
Before we get to the actual tasting I wanted to set an even playing field, so I eliminated any parings of cheese, crackers, wine, or such, as I wanted this to be a straight competition between the two fighting cheeses.
So, let’s get started! Introducing…on the left side we have the generic store brand processed American cheese food product, which weighs in at fifteen ingredients. On the right side we have the Sargento Natural Sharp Cheddar cheese weighing in at just six ingredients. Some of the ingredients are similar, such as some form of milk, annatto for food color, and enzymes.
Round one! Ding! Ding! Ding! When we compare the two products on the ingredients lists the Sargento cheese wins hands down. In fact every ingredient in the Sargento cheese is a naturally occurring substance and is easy to pronounce. The processed cheese "food" has many scientific components that make you wonder if this really is a food product at all!
Winner Round One: Sargento
Round Two! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Sargento Sharp Cheddar VS Generic American Cheese
We have the two samples of cheese naked and exposed so we can see their true nature. On left again is the generic American processed cheese food, and on the right is the Sargento natural sharp cheddar. In this comparison we are looking at the conformation, color, shape, and texture of the two cheese slice samples. The American cheese has a bright yellow color with a somewhat glossy sheen, it also displays several grooves where the plastic wrapper molded it’s shape somewhat, exposing the very pliable and formed product. It looks as if it were formed from a semi melted state then pressed into the plastic as a blob of cheese, not actually a true slice. The Sargento cheese slice appears as if it were actually sliced from a block of real cheese, take a look at the bottom of the slice and you will notice several grooves where the natural cut has left some "flashing" so to speak. The Sargento sharp cheddar has a darker, richer color, more redolent of a real cheese that has been naturally aged, and not created along with and by some man-made products and food coloring.
Winner Round Two: Sargento
Round Three! Ding! Ding! Ding!
Sargento Sharp Cheddar VS Generic American Cheese
In this round I wanted to cut both cheese samples to get a feel for their texture, appearance, and how they hold up under pressure being on naked display. The processed American cheese product cuts with a slight rubbery texture, and while the cut lines are smooth, it does tend to pull a bit while using the knife, which means you have to pay special attention to making the cuts or it might fall apart. The Sargento cheese cuts in an easy distinct and solid line, no pulling or tearing occurred while it was sliced into the diagonal piece.
Winner Round Three: Sargento
Round Four! Ding! Ding! Ding!
The fourth and final round is the most important taste test. Using a blind taste testing I was given one slice of cheese to taste and smell, and this was probably the easiest test of the four rounds. Hands down the Sargento cheese won! The American processed cheese has a soft and pliable texture and mouth feel, it melts into a smooth yet sticky texture and has that "gooey" quality about that can only be compared to other processed cheese textures. The Sargento cheese has a deep rich cheddar smell, the texture is soft yet firm enough to have a little bite and chew. The sharp taste is redolent and exhibited in it’s strong complex flavor profile which has a slight tangy edge that’s a little sweet, nutty, slightly bitter, and herbaceous. In a nutshell, it has some flavor!
Winner Round Four: Sargento
I have to admit that the cards are stacked against any processed cheese food, just about any other cheese would win hands down against any American cheese processed food product. Now, I would like to propose a challenge to Sargento to match itself against any farmhouse brand cheddar cheese and see how that fight goes down!
Bon appétit!
CCR
=:~)
©2011 CCR
Tags: Tastemaker Program
September 14th, 2011 · 30 Comments
Emeril’s One-Pot Sizzling Skillet ~ Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya
This is our third recipe from Emeril’s new cookbook, as we continue our participation in the One-Pot Blogger Cooking Party.
Along with nineteen other foodie blogger’s, we are sharing recipes, photos and our experiences from cooking within the new cookbook. Today, I am going to share our experiences from making the Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya as found on page 114 from Emeril’s new cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders which is available for pre-order now, since the book does not go on sale until September, 27, 2011.
Emeril’s recipe for Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya is included in the Dutch oven chapter along with 21 other recipes that can be prepared from a single one-pot Dutch oven.
And now a little discussion on some of the ingredients in Emeril’s Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya.
Andouille Sausage
Andouille Sausage
Andouille is pronounced ahn-Doo-Wee, and is made with coarse cut pork shoulder, shank, or butt and pork fat, is highly spiced with cracked black pepper, onions, and garlic, making it very flavorful. It is smoked with hickory, pecan, oak, sugar cane, or even mesquite wood fired smokers. The sausage is hung in large meat smokers and is typically left in the cool heat (175 degrees) for up to 8 or more hours.
Once smoked the sausage takes on a very dark almost midnight color and tone. You can smell the deep rich flavors and smoky aroma even before you pick up a piece or cut through it. This is the real deal! A true andouille is stuffed into the beef middle casing and this makes the sausage about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, making it a very large sausage in comparison to most smoked sausages.
When you slice andouille by hand you will start to take on the fragrant aroma of the smoking process, leaving your fingers with an amazing fragrance and flavor. But don’t lick you fingers just yet…you need to dice or slice the rest of the sausage first! In Emeril’s recipe he calls for dicing the sausage, I prefer to slice mine, for larger pieces. Some of the slices will tend to break up a bit anyway as the jambalaya cooks.
A close up view of fresh andouille sausage.
Andouille Sausage
The famous sausage is French in origin and was brought to the New World by the French colonists, and some German immigrants too. According to the St. John Parish Andouille Festival web site:
“It is interesting to note that the finest andouille in France comes from the Brittany and Normandy areas. It is believed that over half of the Acadian exiles who came to Louisiana in 1755 were originally from these coastal regions.”
Each year in October the Andouille Festival is held in LaPlace, Louisiana which is in St. John Parish, or about a 40 minute drive west of New Orleans.
Andouille can be purchased my mail order from Jacob’s World Famous Andouille and Sausage, when you click to their site, be prepared to put on your dancing shoes as some good ole’ Cajun music starts up and you will want to do the “Two Step” toute suite!
Chicken Thighs
I like the fact that the recipe calls for chicken thighs, as they tend to add more flavor and benefit from a longer cooking process. The natural juices from the dark meat of the chicken thighs also imparts wonderful essence and deep richness that adds to the chicken stock.
The Cajun Trinity
Onions, celery, green bell peppers diced
As with most true Cajun dishes, they would not be complete without the Cajun Trinity, also known as onions, celery, and green bell peppers chopped up.
The amount of onions is not as much as the classic French Mirepoix, but in Cajun preparations typically it is an equal portion of each ingredient in a 1:1:1 ratio. Just like the ole saying “First you start with a roux….” the same is true with the Holy Trinity, most Cajun preparations use a trio of onions, celery and green bell peppers as the base vegetable seasoning aromatic ingredient. The Cajun Holy Trinity can be found in recipes for most gumbos, etouffees, jambalaya’s, sauce piquant, shrimp stews, crab soup, oyster artichoke soup, red beans and rice, and the list goes on.
Emeril’s Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya is a perfect one-pot wonder recipe, sure to please a crowd, so go ahead and break out and dust off your Dutch oven.
And now for a giveaway!
I am going to give away a copy of Emeril’s new cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders.
Emeril’s Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders Cookbook
How do I enter to win the cookbook?
I am so glad you asked!!
There are several ways to enter, and you have multiple ways of entering. Be sure to include your correct email address in the comment form.
1. First, post one comment on this blog post and tell me what your favorite one-pot dish is that you like to cook for you and your family.
2. This is a two step way to enter: A.) Share this post on your Facebook page and let me know that you did. B.) Join my Cajun Chef Ryan Facebook Page, and let me know there that you shared this post. Check out the sociable toolbar at the bottom of this post to help you along with sharing the post.
3. Another two step way to enter: A.) Share this blog post on Twitter. Again, the sociable toolbar has a Twitter icon for just that purpose. Please let me know that you Twitted this blog post. B.) Request to follow me on my Cajun Chef Ryan Twitter account.
4. Like It! on Stumble Upon, and share it with all your SU friends. On the sociable toolbar, see the SU icon.
5. Buzz it! on Foodbuzz if you are a member, and share it with all your foodies.
A winner will be selected at noon EST on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, and will be announced later that day.
Also, be sure to visit:
Emeril’s Official Website Emerils.com
Emeril’s Facebook Page facebook.com/Emeril
Follow Emeril on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/emeril
Next time we will feature Emeril’s recipe for Slow Cooked Pulled Pork.
Bon appétit!
CCR
=:~)
©2011 CCR
Tags: Emeril's Sizzling Skillets · Recipes
September 12th, 2011 · 10 Comments
Emeril’s Red Bean and Rice Soup
For my second recipe in the One-Pot Blogger Cooking Party I am going to share my experiences making the Red Bean and Rice Soup recipe from Emeril’s new cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders which is available for pre-order now!
In case you missed my first post to kick off the party, you can check out the recipe Emeril’s Cajun Shrimp Stew, just click and enjoy the flavor!
Red Beans…
If you are from New Orleans, then you know that red beans is a staple one-pot dish, okay, well when you make the rice to go along with, it becomes two pots, but you know rice is so easy to make anyway right!
And you also know that Red Beans is always served on Mondays in and around New Orleans ….right? Okay, if you need some background history on the subject you can read more about the tradition in this post entitled, Red Beans and Rice…Very nice!
Emeril’s Red Bean and Rice Soup
Emeril’s recipe for Red Bean and Rice soup starts on page 262 in the Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders cookbook, and is found in the Slow Cookers chapter. Those of you who have been following me for some time already know that slow cooking is one of my favorite ways to prepare a meal. Obviously Emeril’s thinks so too, because there are twenty recipes in this section, including Chicken in the Pot, Braised Pork Chops with Apples and Onions, and Chicken Sauce Piquante, to name a few others.
While I am not obliged to share the recipe for this wonderful soup, what I can tell you about this recipe is it’s reminiscent of many cold days from the swampland, when thoughts of a warm steaming bowl of soup helps cut the chill, which by the way, these days are coming again…just around the corner. So get your slow cookers out of the cabinet and dust them off soon, you will want to get it ready when you start make your wonderful one-pot dishes.
Emeril’s red bean and rice soup gets some heat from jalapeno peppers and has a southwest flavor from the addition of cilantro along with some spicy chorizo sausage, which replaces the typical smoked sausage found in traditional red bean recipes.
Throw all your ingredients into the slow cooker and on a high temperature setting for about four and a half hours, and you will be sitting to a hot, steaming, rich, spicy bowl of red bean and rice soup.
Don’t forget to make a batch of cheddar corn muffins to go along with your soup.
Another tip: In New Orleans we are spoiled with access to Camellia Red Beans, which we stocked up about twenty pounds on our last trip to the Big Easy back in April, you see, we have trouble finding them since our move here after Katrina here on the east coast. Though recently a friend told us that the local Wal-Mart has started carrying them, I have not confirmed this statement yet, and this is still on my to-do list!
Camellia Red Beans
In any case, if you can get a hold of Camellia red beans, I suggest you find them and buy many packages, they really are that good and better than any other red bean I have found in the grocery.
Be sure to visit:
Emeril’s Official Website Emerils.com
Emeril’s Facebook Page facebook.com/Emeril
Follow Emeril on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/emeril
Next time we will share our experience with Emeril’s recipe for Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya, found in the Dutch Oven chapter.
Bon appétit!
CCR
=:~)
©2011 CCR
Tags: Emeril's Sizzling Skillets · Recipes
September 11th, 2011 · 11 Comments
Emeril’s One Pot Sizzling Skillet ~ Cajun Shrimp Stew
To kick off the One-Pot Blogger Cooking Party along with nineteen other foodie blogger’s, I am going to share the Shrimp Stew recipe from Emeril’s new cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders which is available for pre-order now!
Harper Collins, the publisher of the book, has offered a preview of three select recipes from the new cookbook, and we are allowed to share these with you now, even before the new cook book goes on sale September 27, 2011.
Just in case you did not know, Emeril Lagasse is one of America’s favorite chefs, and in Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders he brings us more than 130 easy, flavorful recipes that feature a single pot or pan, be it a skillet, baking dish, Dutch oven, pot, wok, or slow cooker. From Beef Bourguignon to Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya to Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto to Slow Cooked Pulled Pork, Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders makes Emeril’s trademark recipes even easier to prepare at home while saving on time, space, and clean up.
The Recipe
CCR’s One Pot Cajun Shrimp Stew
This is one of the three recipes that we can share with you, and it is a perfect start to our One-Pot Blogger Cooking Party, of course you already know why I picked this one out as my first recipe right! It has Cajun written all over it, and shrimp is one of the most plentiful seafood bounty items you can get from the Gulf Coast, up and around the Atlantic Seaboard too. We get some great shrimp from both bodies of water, each has it’s own flavor nuances and typically between the brown and white shrimp seasons you can be sure to find some fresh shrimp along the roadside stands from Lafite in Louisiana, and along the coast in North Carolina.
In the book this recipe is listed in the Dutch Oven chapter, but I made mine in a large skillet, either way, I think it tastes great, deep rich flavor from the roux, and it has that genuine Cajun heritage in every bite! I modified the recipe for the version made in the large skillet, added some smoked sausage, reduced some of the ingredient amounts such as the liquid, stock, and roux and incresed the amount of shrimp. Just goes to show you how versitile Emeril’s recipes are to prepare.
Cajun Shrimp Stew
(as written in the cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders)
This comforting, simple stew is a Cajun dish that many home cooks in Louisiana enjoy, especially during the Lenten season. It is easy to make and feeds a bunch. The trick is getting the roux to the right color . . . about a notch darker than peanut butter should do the trick. A homemade shrimp stock makes all the difference in the world. Make sure to add the shrimp just before serving so that they stay nice and tender. Some families boil eggs in their shrimp stew (as it simmers) to make the dish even heartier.
Ingredients
1 cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups finely chopped onion
¼ cup minced garlic (about 12 cloves)
10 cups Rich Shrimp Stock (see below)
2 bay leaves
1 ¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
3 large baking potatoes (2 ½ to 3 pounds), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 pounds small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup chopped green onion, green part only
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Steamed long-grain white rice, for serving |
| Steps: |
| 1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat and, when hot, add the flour. Whisk to combine and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until a medium roux is formed (it should look a bit darker than peanut butter), about 10 minutes. (If the roux begins to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and take your time—it is important that the roux not be burned at all or the stew will have a bitter taste.) As soon as the roux is the right color, add the chopped onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes.Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, little by little, and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Add the bay leaves, black pepper, cayenne, thyme, and 4 teaspoons of the salt and reduce the heat so that the sauce just simmers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the floury taste is gone, 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes and continue to cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender and the sauce is thick and flavorful, 30 to 40 minutes longer. (Add a bit of water or chicken broth to thin the gravy should the stew get too thick during the cook time. The sauce is meant to be thick and rich but not pasty.)
3. Toss the shrimp with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir the shrimp, green onion, and parsley into the stew and continue to cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the bay leaves. Serve the stew in shallow bowls over hot white rice.
6 to 8 servings |
Rich Shrimp Stock
(as written in the cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders)
This stock is so easy to make, yet so flavorful—make a batch every time you have shells and heads from fresh shrimp and you’ll never have to worry about where to get shrimp stock again. You’ll find that toasting the shells in oil before adding the water gives added depth to this stock, which can be used in countless ways.
Ingredients
1 to 1 ½ pounds shrimp shells and heads
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
14 cups water
1 large onion, unpeeled, roughly chopped (the onion peel deepens the color of the stock)
½ cup roughly chopped celery
2 small carrots, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 large sprigs fresh parsley |
| Steps: |
| 1. Rinse the shrimp shells and heads in a large colander under cold running water and allow to drain.
2. In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shells are pink and toasty-fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes.Add the water and all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming any foam that comes to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook at a slow simmer until the stock is flavorful, 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heatproof bowl and allow it to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days before using. (The stock may also be placed in airtight containers and frozen for up to several months.)
About 12 cups
Note: You can easily double the ingredient amounts to make a larger batch of stock.
To save space in the freezer, you can reduce the stock further after straining and discarding the solids. Just add water to the defrosted stock to reconstitute as needed. |
Be sure to visit:
Emeril’s Official Website Emerils.com
Emeril’s Facebook Page facebook.com/Emeril
Next time we will feature Emeril’s recipe for Red Bean and Rice Soup from the slow cooker chapter.
Bon appétit!
CCR
=:~)
©2011 CCR
Tags: Emeril's Sizzling Skillets · Recipes
