Need a good recipe

[JaBlue]

Yes mother's day was last sunday. Anyway I spent a very good portion of the day w/ the mom but ended up having to leave before dinner, which she decided I would cook. So I need to cook her a dinner in the near future and I was wondering if anyone here actually knows how to cook. I can make awesome chicken, steak, etc. but I think she'd prefer something more exotic. If there was some kind of Thai food or some ethnic something or other that doesn't need a bunch of spices that I don't have now and will never use in the future, I'd like to hear the recipe. I'd also prefer if I can pick up all of the ingredients at a regular supermarket but this isn't necessarily a must.

Anyway, hit me with what you got. Hopefully the food experts here will have something to say.

[etgryphon]

If you want an ethnic flair, you'll have to be a little more specific.

A good easy French Cuisine recipe is Steak Au Poivre. I love it and it is real easy to make.

Here is a pretty good recipe (http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blbeef77.htm) for it. I use more butter and white wine with Brandy.

-Gryph

[2planka]

Bourbon Street Jambalaya

Ingredients
1 cup veg. oil
1 pound hot smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pound authentic andouille sausage, also cut into 1 inch pieces

3-5 pounds chicken (I use boneless breast, but you could use bone in chicken for a little more flavor), cut into rough 1 inch cubes.

Salt and pepper to taste

3 large white onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup diced (1/4 inch) celery
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon cayanne pepper (use ¼ tsp for less heat)
2 cups long grain brown rice
½ cup bourbon
4 cups defatted chicken broth
1 cup prepared tomato sauce
¾ cup tomato paste
2 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ cup fresh parsley, chopped
6-pack of Blackened Voodoo Ale

1. Open one bottle of Blackened Voodoo ale, take generous sip. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat (I use the biggest stock pot I have). Add both sausages and cook until browned, turning pieces often. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl when done, and set aside. Finish drinking the ale.

2. Open second bottle of ale and drink. Coat chicken pieces with pepper and salt, to taste. Add chicken to the pot in batches. Brown all over, about 10 minutes per batch. Remove and place chicken pieces in the bowl with the sausages.

3. Drink third bottle of ale. Add onions to the pot and cook over low heat until wilted (adding a pinch or two of salt helps). Then add garlic, celery, both peppers, bay leaves, basil, and cayanne. Cook for 10 minutes. (For extra flavor, add a generous dash of your favorite hot sauce at the 5 minute mark).

4. Toss back the fourth beer, try to focus. Add the rice to the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes (pay very close attention to the heat… the rice can scald). Add bourbon and stir for 5 minutes more (to allow alcohol to evaporate). Return the sausage and chicken to the pot. Add the broth, tomato sauce, and tomato paste and bring to a boil (Again PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO HEAT AND STIR CONTINUOUSLY).

5. On to beer number 5. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. Consume remaining Blackened Voodoo Ale during this last step. Stir in the shrimp and the parsley and cook, covered, until the shrimp is cooked through, 5 minutes. After the shrimp is cooked I usually let the jambalaya relax, covered, cooling in the fridge for about 2-3 hours (place a potholder under the stockpot). I then warm it in a crock pot (in batches) before adjusting seasonings. I find that relaxing the batch draws out the flavors so you’re less likely to overdo it on, say cayanne or hot sauce. Allowing the stuff to relax also softens the rice. If you serve it right away, the rice will be crunchy.

Serves 8 to 10.

[ripdog]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes mother's day was last sunday. Anyway I spent a very good portion of the day w/ the mom but ended up having to leave before dinner, which she decided I would cook. So I need to cook her a dinner in the near future and I was wondering if anyone here actually knows how to cook. I can make awesome chicken, steak, etc. but I think she'd prefer something more exotic. If there was some kind of Thai food or some ethnic something or other that doesn't need a bunch of spices that I don't have now and will never use in the future, I'd like to hear the recipe. I'd also prefer if I can pick up all of the ingredients at a regular supermarket but this isn't necessarily a must.

Anyway, hit me with what you got. Hopefully the food experts here will have something to say.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most things that qualify as exotic are a pain in the ass to make and require loads of spices that you will not use in anything else. Here is a kick-ass beef and vegetable dish that you can make with only one ingredient that you might not know where to find (any chinese market has it), but you will probably have this recipe at the front of the box from here on out:

Mandarin Beef

Ingredients:

1 flank steak cut into 1.5" cubes
1 good "glug glug" of Soy Sauce
1 good "glug glug" of red wine
1 good "glug glug" of A1 steak sauce
Ground Pepper to taste
A couple small slices of fresh ginger
1 good squeeze of ketchup
2 or 3 Tblsp or Char Sui glaze (Teriyaki glaze)
2 zuchinni, cut into rounds (or whatever vegetable you like)
1 large tomato, diced
corn starch and cold water

Directions:

Put cubed meat into a large bowl, add everything except the vegetables and stir well. Marinate overnight if possible, at least 2 hours if not. Brown meat in a large wok, just until the meat is barely browned and is still raw in the middle. Pour the meat and juices back into the original bowl, add a bit of water (the vegetables should float, but don't put in too much as it will dilute the gravy) to the wok and cook the vegetables halfway. Add the meat back in and cook until rare or medium rare at most (overcooking makes the meat tough and reduces the overall flavor of the dish). Thicken the liquid with a small amount of corn starch and cold water (mix it prior to addition to the wok). Add raw tomatoes and stir one last time. Serve over white rice.

Notes:

The teriyaki glaze is what makes this dish great--don't try to cut corners and do without it. I also tend to forget the ketchup, and I always miss it. Carrots don't go very well with this dish. Brocolli tends to hold too much of the sauce. Mushrooms are a good addition. I can't overemphasize the importance of not overcooking the meat or vegetables. I've been cooking this dish for 10 years and it is alway good, but it is downright amazing when you marinate the meat overnight. If you have time, a practice run might be a good idea. My stomach is starting to growl.

[ethan]

I made this a couple days ago and it turned out really well. Also has the advantage of taking about 15-20 minutes to pull together but still looking medium-fancy. Crucial here is getting good fish - if you can't, then make something else. Tuna's best when the center of the steak is still bright red.

Tuna au Poivre with Zinfandel and Shallots
2 tsp cracked black pepper
coarse salt to taste
2 1-lb tuna steaks
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp minced shallots
1 sprig fresh tarragon
3/4 cup zinfandel (you probably want a decent bottle, since you can pair the rest with the meal. There's basically no reason to spend more than $25 on a bottle of Zinfandel, and you can get a good one for $15 or so.)

----------------------
Press the pepper and salt into the tuna. Preheat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and preheat the oven to 200 degrees. add half the butter to the pan; when the foam subsides, turn the heat to high and add the tuna. Sear the steaks for about 3 minutes per side for rare tuna, a bit longer if you like it medium to well done; remove them to a platter and place the platter in the arm oven. Over medium heat, add the remaining butter to the pan along with the shallots. Stir until softened. Add the tarragon and wine, raise the heat to high, and let most of the liquid bubble away. Spoon the sauce over the steaks and serve, garnished with additional tarragon.

alternative fish: swordfish
-------------------------------
From Mark Bittman's Fish - the complete guide to buying and cooking. I've had good luck with most of the cookbook so far.

[JaBlue]

This looks like an awesome recipe and caters to my taste as well so I will definitely go with it unless someone else can suggest something better before I go to the market... (BUMP)