At Chef Claude’s Choices Restaurant in Killington, Chef Claude is a master of fine cuisine. Visitors to his restaurant enjoy a variety of items including rotisserie meats and handmade pastas. Unfortunately, the restaurant is closed due to COVID-19, but never fear! Chef Claude has been sharing a few of his recipes on Facebook, complete with hacks for making due with low supplies. One of the best examples of this, an easy flat bread.
Easy Flat Bread
Combine 1 cup flour, dash salt, 2 tablespoon oil, 100ml warm milk, cover and rest 15 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil, mix, cover with wet cloth, rest 20 min.
Form balls, roll out with flour, heat pan with salt and water, cook a couple of minutes each side.
I was able to fit two in pan at a time. Makes 8.
Sauces
Any well-cooked meat or veggie can be a meal, but if you really want to take your quarantine cooking to the next level, it’s all about the sauces. Chef Claude offers a couple of choices of varying complexity.
Red Curry Coconut Sauce
“This Red Curry Coconut sauce is an easy versatile recipe. Works great for chicken, seafood, fish, or vegetarian,” Chef Claude said.
2 cans coconut milk
1/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
dash of cinnamon
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp Red Curry paste
zest and juice of one lime
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp fresh-grated ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel pot and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add 2 tbsp chopped cilantro when cooled.
Easy Balsamic Reduction Glaze
1 pint quality balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or 1/3 cup sugar
In heavy-bottomed pot bring vinegar to boil, reduce to simmer for 15 min or until syrupy. Use wooden spoon and reduce ‘til it coats spoon. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Creole Chicken
By popular demand, here is the recipe for Creole Chicken. This dish is a favorite at Choices. Chef Claude offers the recipe with this advice, “Be creative using what you have on hand. I’m going to try to make my own blackening seasoning and sub vegetables for shrimp/andouille.”
60 oz skin on, boneless chicken breast
sliced onion and bell peppers
Andouille sausage
Two jumbo shrimp
Blackening seasoning
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salad oil to cover the bottom of the pan
chopped garlic
a couple pinches of flour
Heat your skillet ‘til hot with just enough oil so the breast doesn’t stick. Have your exhaust fan on high! Add pre-seasoned breast, skin side down and turn heat down to a slow sizzle. When halfway done, add onions, bell pepper, three slices of andouille and brown. Add a couple of pinches of flour and stir slowly on low heat. After a couple minutes, slowly add 1/4 cup broth. Simmer, covered, keeping an eye on the amount and thickness of the sauce. You may need to add more broth. Remove chicken, keep warm. Add shrimp to the pan and simmer in the sauce adding more stock as necessary. Check for doneness and serve over rice.
Dessert
And of course, no meal is complete without something sweet. Pot de Creme is a loose French dessert custard, which is made easily with just a few ingredients. As supplies may be dwindling, Chef Claude’s latest version used a little creativity. “I’m going to sub milk for half & half, honey for sugar, and skip caramelizing cups. I’m using only items I have already.”
Chef Claude’s Pot de Creme
2 cups half & half
3 oz sugar
1/2 cap vanilla
2 eggs
2 yolks
1 tsp nutmeg
1. Caramelize cups (Claude recommends skipping this step as there is a high chance of burning yourself in the process!)
2. Heat half & half; mix with eggs and sugar over a double boiler
3. Pour in cups in water bath heated to 325 degrees
Bon appetite!
For more information visit Chef-Claudes-Choices-Restaurant on Facebook.
