RKC-The Recipe File

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced white onions
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 cups seeded, chopped plum tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 2/3 cup sliced stuffed green olives
• 1/4 cup drained capers
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 (6 ounce) fillets sea bass
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until soft. Stir in garlic, and saute about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, and cook until they begin to soften. Stir in wine, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes. Heat to a simmer.
2. Place sea bass into sauce. Cover, and gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Transfer fish to a serving plate, and keep warm.
3. Increase the heat, and add butter to sauce. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in cilantro. Serve sauce over fish.

This recipe is also good with any mild flavor white fish (tilapia, cod etc.). Also try it with shrimp or even chicken breast.

• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• water, as needed

Place flour and salt in food processor. Add eggs. Pulse until incorporated. If the dough is too dry to stick together when compressed, add water a teaspoon at a time. The humidity will determine more than anything how much, if any water needs to be added.

Kneed dough for 2 to 3 minutes, then either roll out or run through a pasta machine. Allow the rolled sheets of pasta to dry for about 20 minutes, then either cut by hand or run through noodle cutter on pasta machine. Allow cut noodles to dry for several hours before cooking in boiling water.

Meaty portabellos are topped with  blue cheese . Great as an appetizer, or build a burger with crusty rolls, red onion slices, lettuce and tomato.

• 2 portabello mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place mushroom caps, gill side up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with soy sauce and add a few grinds of black pepper to each cap.
3. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoon blue cheese onto each cap. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted.

• 2 cups elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 oz velveeta, cubed
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Cook macaroni, drain and keep warm. In medium saucepan, over medium heat melt the cubed velveeta in the milk, stirring constantly. When melted add the cheddar and jack cheeses. Remove from heat and stir until melted. Pour over the cooked macaroni and stir until incorporated. Serve.

With Toasted Cumin Crema and White Cheddar Cornbread

1/4 cup olive oil
2 pounds venison shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large red onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon pasilla chile powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 bottle dark beer
5 cups chicken stock

1 (16-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, drained and pureed
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper puree
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups cooked or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Toasted Cumin Crema, recipe follows
White Cheddar Cornbread, recipe follows

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the venison with salt and pepper, and saute until browned on all sides. Remove the meat to a plate and remove all but 3 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
Add the onions to the pan and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ancho powder, pasilla powder, and cumin and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the beer and cook until completely reduced. Return the venison to the pot, add the chicken stock, tomatoes, chipotle puree, and honey, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the beans and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the lime juice, and adjust seasonings.
Serve with a dollop of Toasted Cumin Crema and a square White Cheddar Corn Bread.

Toasted Cumin Crema:
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 cup Mexican crema
Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Place the cumin in a small saute pan over medium heat. Toast until lightly golden brown. Place in a small bowl. Stir in the crema and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

White Cheddar Corn Bread:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups coarsely ground white cornmeal
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
2 2/3 cups buttermilk
3/4 cup finely grated white cheddar
1 tablespoon honeyPreheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In a food processor, combine the butter, cornmeal, flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt. Process 20 to 30 seconds, until just mixed, fold in the cheese. You may have to do this in 2 batches. Pour in the buttermilk, cheese, and honey, and process for 20 seconds more. Pour into a buttered 12 by 12-inch pan, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until firm to the touch and golden. Cut into squares.

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• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 4 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine crushed thyme, sage, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Rub evenly over pork chops.
2. Melt butter and olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Cook pork chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from skillet, cover and keep warm in preheated oven.
3. In the skillet, combine raspberry jam, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Spoon sauce in a pool onto a serving plate, and top with pork chops. Garnish with sprigs of thyme.

Also good with boneless chicken breast.