Clemson Secret Recipes

Popovers

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons melted shortening (butter)

Directions
Sift the flour and salt together.  Beat eggs; add milk and shortening.  Add the liquid mixture to the flour and beat hard for 2 minutes (in the Kitchen Aid)  Pour into 8 cups or pans which have been greased generously and heated.  Bake in a very hot oven, 450 degrees, for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to moderate, 350 degrees, and bake another 15 - 20 minutes.  Yield: 8 large popovers.  Can make a double batch.

Spice of Life Beer Can Chicken

Ingredients:

4 pound chicken

1/4 cup paprika

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 can beer (recommended Sam Adams White Ale)

3 cups apple wood smoking chips

1 disposable aluminum pie plate (or drip pan)

1 tablespoon honey

Directions

Soak the wood chips in water for at least 2 hours.

When ready to grill, preheat 1 of the burners to 350 degrees F.

Make sure the chicken is clean and innards are removed; pat dry with a paper towel and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, add paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, chili powder and mix well. Take the chicken and separate the skin from the breast taking care not to tear or remove skin. Apply the spice rub directly to the chicken breast, under the skin. Apply rub to the entire chicken, inside and out, reserving at least 2 tablespoons. Punch 2 holes at the top of the can, with a manual hand-held can opener. In a new bowl, mix butter and remaining spice rub. Add this mixture to the half-full can of beer. Place chicken over beer can and insert into the cavity of the chicken, keeping beer can standing up.

Place the wood chips in a foil smoker pouch over the active burner on the grill and set the chicken, on a pie plate, over the in-active burner. Close the lid. Rotate the chicken every 20 minutes. 5 minutes before cooking is complete, drizzle the honey over the chicken. The chicken should take about 1 hour and 20 minutes to cook, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees F. Slice and serve.

Seared Salmon with Artichoke Salsa

Ingredients:

Salsa:

1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichokes

1 cup chopped vine ripe tomatoes

3 tablespoons minced shallots

1 tablespoon capers

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Salmon:

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 (6 to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on

Directions

To make the salsa, combine all of the ingredients together, mix well, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the olive oil, and place salmon in hot pan, skin side down, and sear until skin is crisp. Salmon should turn pinkish white 1/4 inch around the edge. Place the salmon in oven for approximately 5 minutes to finish cooking.

To serve, place the salmon in the center of plate, and top with artichoke salsa. Serve with potatoes or rice.

This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

Seafood Crepes

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups milk

1 egg

1/3 cup vegetable oil

5 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for pan

For the filling:

2 cups white wine

1 cup cream

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

1 cup crab

1 cup bay shrimp, chopped

2 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions

For the crepes:

Place the flour and sugar in a medium sized mixing bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk, egg, vegetable oil, and butter. Heat a nonstick pan or crepe pan over moderate heat. Brush the pan lightly with butter.

Pour 1/4 cup of the crepe batter into the center of the hot pan and tilt it in all directions. The batter should coat the pan in a light covering. After about 30 seconds, the bottom side of the crepe should be lightly browned and the crepe should be ready to be flipped. Shake the pan in order to release the crepe, then turn it by using a spatula or the flip of your wrist. Cook the crepe for an additional 15 to 20 seconds and turn it out onto a plate. Repeat this process with the remainder of the crepe batter. Use a round 4-inch cookie cutter to cut the crepes into hors d’ oeuvre sizes.

For the filling:

In a small saucepot, bring the white wine to a boil and reduce by half. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch together with the cold water and whisk it into the cream and wine mixture until thickened. Let cool. In a large mixing bowl, place the crab, shrimp, and chopped egg and toss together lightly. Fold in the thickened cream mixture and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the parsley.

To assemble:

Place a heaping tablespoon of the seafood filling in the upper left hand side of a crepe. Fold the crepe in half and then fold it in half again. Continue this process until all the crepes are filled, or all the filling is used. Serve the crepes at room temperature placed inside folded doilies.

Orange Balsamic Rock Cornish Game Hens

Ingredients:

6 hens, rinsed and pat dry
Coarse salt
Coarse black pepper
1 cup defrosted orange juice concentrate
1 cup aged balsamic vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
7 to 8 stems rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Directions

Line 2 baking pans with foil for easier cleaning. Set a baking rack in each pan. Split hens and butterfly open and place 3 hens in each baking pan. Season the hens with salt and pepper liberally. Mix the orange concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil and pour evenly over the hens. Sprinkle with rosemary and roast 15 minutes at 425 degrees F and 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Mile High Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 large onion, grated

2 to 3 cloves garlic, grated

1 pound ground sirloin

2 cups beef stock

1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes

1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3 to 4 basil leaves, torn

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 quart milk

A few grates fresh nutmeg

2 boxes oven-ready lasagna noodles (use 1 box per loaf pan)

2 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided

1/2 cup provolone cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Place a large skillet over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Cook the onion and the garlic, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes.

Turn the heat under the skillet up to medium-high and add the beef to the pan. Cook it through, stirring frequently and breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Add the beef stock, tomatoes and basil to the pot and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mash the tomatoes up with the potato masher or wooden spoon, bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.

While the red sauce is simmering, place a medium-size pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook the mixture for about 1 minute. Whisk the milk slowly into the butter-flour mixture and cook until thickened. Season the white sauce with salt, freshly ground pepper and the nutmeg.

Cover two loaf pans with a layer of foil for easy removal from the pan. Ladle about 1 cup of the red sauce into the bottom of the first lined loaf pan. Put down a layer of lasagna noodles, then top them with about a cup of white sauce and a handful of Parmigiano Reggiano (about 1/4 cup). Continue building the lasagna, alternating layers of noodle, red sauce, noodle, white sauce and cheese, until all the noodles are covered. End the lasagna on a layer of red sauce and top it off with the grated provolone and some Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat this process with the other loaf pan and the remaining sauce.

Cover the pans with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the noodles are tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Remove the pans from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes to let the lasagna set. Pull the lasagna out of the pans by the edges of the foil, pull the foil down from around the lasagna and cut with a serrated knife. Garnish each slice with fresh parsley.

Fried Chicken

Alton Brown

Ingredients:

1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces

2 cups low fat buttermilk

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika (I used 1 tablespoon smoked paprika)

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Flour, for dredging

Vegetable shortening, for frying

Directions

Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.

Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)

Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don’t drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it’s a gas oven.

Crab Cakes with Grainy Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

Salt and pepper

2 heaping tablespoons grainy mustard

1 teaspoon hot sauce (eyeball it)

3/4 cup chicken stock (eyeball it)

1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (eyeball it)

7 slices white sandwich bread

1/2 cup mayonnaise (a couple of heaping tablespoons)

4 scallions, finely chopped

1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped (a generous handful)

1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 pound fresh lump crab meat, available in tubs at supermarket fish counters

2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Pre-heat a small saucepot over medium-high heat with one turn of the pan of EVOO. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook them, stirring frequently, for about 3-4 minutes. Add the grainy mustard, hot sauce, chicken stock and cream.

Bring it up to a simmer and cook until thick, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the sauce off and reheat it when you’re ready to serve.

Place the bread in the food processor and use the pulse button to break it up, then let it rip and make fine breadcrumbs.

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, red bell pepper, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently run your fingers through the crab meat to feel for any shells or cartilage, but try not to break up the meat too much while you do so. Add the cleaned crab meat to the mayonnaise mixture. Add a quarter of the fresh breadcrumbs and gently fold it over to combine. Place the remaining breadcrumbs on a plate and divide the crab mixture into four equal portions.

Transfer the four crab portions to the plate with the breadcrumbs. Coat each one in the breadcrumbs, gently pressing the breadcrumbs and forming 1-1 1/2-inch thick cakes.

Pre-heat a medium size nonstick skillet over medium heat with three turns of the pan of EVOO, about three tablespoons, and the butter. Once the butter melts, add the crab cakes and brown and cook them for about four minutes on each side or until they are golden brown and heated through.

Divide the sauce between two plates, top with the crab cakes and serve. 

Country Fried Steak with Biscuits and Gravy

Ingredients:

Steak and Gravy:
1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (4-ounce) tenderized beef round steak (have butcher run them through cubing machine)
1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 quart whole milk
1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (recommended: Ac’cent), optional
1 bunch green onions, or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced

Basic Biscuits:
1 package yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup solid shortening (recommended: Crisco)
2 cups buttermilk

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Directions

Steak and Gravy: Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 side of the meat with the House Seasoning and the other side with the seasoning salt, and then dredge the meat in buttermilk and then flour. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 4 of the steaks to the hot oil and fry until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove each steak to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding up to 1/4 cup more oil, as needed.

Make the gravy by adding the 2 tablespoons remaining flour to the pan drippings, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly. Slowly add the whole milk and the Ac’cent, if using stirring constantly. Return the steaks to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and place the onions on top of the steaks. Cover the pan, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Biscuits: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in shortening. Add yeast and buttermilk and mix well. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to desired thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter and place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Split biscuits in half and top with country fried steak and drizzle with gravy.

House Seasoning

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Country Fried Steak

Paula Dean

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (4-ounce) tenderized beef round steak*
1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 cups buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 quart whole milk
1 bunch green onions, or 1 medium yellow onion, sliced

*Cook’s Note: Have butcher run them through cubing machine

House Seasoning:

1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Directions

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 side of the meat with the House Seasoning and the other side with the seasoning salt, and then dredge the meat in buttermilk and then flour. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 or 4 of the steaks to the hot oil and fry until browned, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove each steak to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining steaks, adding up to 1/4 cup more oil, as needed.

Make the gravy by adding the 2 tablespoons of remaining flour to the pan drippings, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the flour is medium brown and the mixture is bubbly. Slowly add the whole milk stirring constantly. Return the steaks to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and place the onions on top of the steaks. Cover the pan, and let simmer for 30 minutes.

House Seasoning:

Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore,