Cossaladboats Recipes

FRENCH CASSOULET

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim the excess skin from the duck or chicken and place on a lined baking sheet. Dry the trimmed skin in the oven, checking often, until crispy, about 15 minutes.
• Add the skin to a food processor along with the breadcrumbs, oil and the 1/8 teaspoon thyme leaves and blend until uniform. Set aside. (This step can also be done while the cassoulet is stewing).
• Heat the clarified butter over high heat in a heavy-bottomed saute or frying pan and, working in batches, sear the poultry, pork or lamb and sausage until they are caramelized, adding more butter if the pan gets dry. Remove the meats to a large roasting pan or deep broiler-proof baking dish as they are completed.
• In the same pan you browned the meat in, saute the onions, carrots and celery until they are caramelized. Add the tomatoes, wine, and 5 cups water, deglazing the pan by scraping all the loose particles from the bottom of the pan.
• Drain the beans and add them to the pan, along with the marjoram, parsley, bay leaves and 1/4 cup thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil.
• Pour the beans and liquid over the meats in the roasting pan, cover the pan tightly with foil if no lid is available and bake until the meat is fork-tender and the beans have absorbed most of the liquid and are tender, about 3 hours.
• Remove the meat from the pan, drain the liquid from the beans and vegetables and put it into a saucepan.
• Add two cups of the cooked bean and vegetable mixture to the liquid and puree with an immersion blender or puree in a blender before adding to the liquid. This will thicken the liquid into a sauce.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour the liquid back over the remaining beans and vegetables, stirring to combine.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Slice the lamb or pork and lay it on the beans with the sausages and poultry legs. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the cassoulet and broil until the top is lightly browned.

RANCH SALAD BOATS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Combine the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons each chives and dill, the lemon juice and hot sauce in a blender. Blend until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• To serve, arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and top with the tomatoes, radishes, cucumber and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle most of the dressing over the salad and serve the remaining dressing on the side. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon each chives and dill.

CUCUMBER SALAD BOATS

Steps:

• Halve cucumbers and remove seeds. For muffuletta salad: Combine giardiniera, provolone cheese cubes and chopped salami. For BLT salad: Combine cream cheese, crumbled bacon, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. For country club salad: Combine chicken salad, sliced red grapes and chopped pecans.

PARTY SALAD BOATS

Steps:

• Assemble the salad dressing an hour ahead, so the onion and salad dressing have time to blend but the onion is still crunchy.
• Bring the water to a boil with the salt. Add the pasta and cook for 12 minutes. Drain immediately and cool completely.
• Chop the romaine, tomatoes and pepperoni. Drain and add the olives. Crumble the cheese over the salad.
• Toss the salad dressing and salad. The dressing will be clumpy. Add the dressing a little at a time, being careful to not add too much. Add garlic salt to taste.
• (I usually spoon out the onions with a large non-slotted spoon. I use the dressing that comes along with the onions, leaving any excess dressing for another day.).
• Fill the pasta shells.