Winning Recipes D.O. cook off, Redding, Ca 3/1/08

Here are the recipes that Won me First place at the Nor Cal Sports and Rec. Show in Redding, Ca on Sat. March 1, 2008 for the Dutch oven competition!
MAIN DISH

Dutch oven Paella

½ cup olive oil, divided

12 chicken thighs

3 Tbs. Emeril’s Essence

2 ½ tsp. Kosher salt divided

2 lbs. Spanish chorizo, substitute Mexican Chorizo if not available, diced into1/4” half moons

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cups red bell peppers, chopped, about 2-3 peppers

2 cups green bell peppers, chopped, about 2-3 peppers

4 Tbs. minced garlic

2 tsp. Saffron threads

2 qts. chicken stock

4 cups medium grain rice

2 lbs. jumbo shrimp (shells and tails on, back split)

1 lb. mussels, cleaned and de bearded

1 lb. steamer clams, cleaned

2 ½ cups frozen peas, thawed

In a large mixing bowl or tub season the chicken with 2 Tbs. essence and 2 tsp. salt. Toss the thighs to cover with seasonings. Heat a 20” Cabela’s Dutch oven lid over a checkerboard pattern of briquettes, then add ¼ cup of the olive oil to the lid. Once the oil starts to smoke cook the thighs on each side for 4 minutes per side to sear. Remove the chicken from the lid, and set aside.

Add remaining oil and chorizo and brown, stirring occasionally until well browned, about 7 minutes. Add onions, and peppers and continue cooking until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and sauté 3 minutes, then add garlic and saffron. Spread this mixture evenly across the lid then place the chicken thighs across the top of the mixture in a single layer.

Pour about 1 qt. of the broth into the lid or as much liquid it will hold without over flowing. Cover with bottom and add more broth as needed in 15 to 20 minute intervals, adding as much as possible without over flowing until all the broth is used up.

When the last of the broth is added, place the shrimp, mussels, and clams around the entire dish and cover. Cook 15 minutes, remove cover and sprinkle peas over the top, cover and remove from heat, let rest 7 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve from the lid on a lid trivet in the center of a table.

Serves 8 two breasts per person, 16 one breast per person.

*NOTE: This recipe may be doubled by cooking in the 20” Dutch oven by using the oven traditionally right-side up.

BREAD

Dave’s Sourdough Beer Bread

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sourdough starter, room temperature

3 Tbs. honey, or sugar if honey is not handy, can substitute same amount of Splenda®

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 cup warm beer, the darker the more flavor

½ cup butter, melted

1 tsp. granulated garlic, optional

Add the honey or sugar to the sourdough starter, set aside for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl combine flours, soda, powder, and salt, stir well to incorporate well. Add sourdough starter and beer. Stir until just moistened. Pour dough into a greased 10” deep Dutch oven. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Add garlic to melted butter if you like then pour over the dough at the end of the 10 minutes. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest 10 more minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

DESSERT

Sin on a Stick Sandwich

Cookies:

1 box Dunken Hines Chocolate Fudge Cake mix

2 eggs

½ cup (1 cube) melted butter

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Pour cake mix into a medium bowl and stir in eggs and butter to make a moist dough, stir in chocolate chips. Preheat a 12” or larger Dutch oven lid and Dutch oven set up upside-down on a lid trivet

Cut 1 piece of aluminum foil for each batch of cookies baked. Spoon 6 Tablespoon sized cookie dough balls on foil then place foil on the Dutch oven lid and cover with the pot. Bake 15 minutes with 12 coals under and 18 coals on top of pot. Use a wok ring to keep coals on the pot. Remove foil sheet with baked cookies and place another sheet with measured dough on the lid. Repeat until all cookies are baked. Let cool

Makes 3 dozen (I get 2 dozen from a box ‘cause my cookies are a little bigger than 1 Tbs.)

Deep Fried Snickers Centers:

½ to ¾ cup AP flour

½ cup powdered sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/3 cup club soda

20 miniature sized Snickers bars

1 to 1 ½ qts. vegetable oil for deep frying

Bamboo skewers

Heat oil in a 8”deep or 10” deep Dutch oven to 360°. Stick bars onto a bamboo skewer then freeze for 30 minutes or place on dry ice for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine flour, sugar, egg, vanilla, and soda in a medium bowl and stir to a consistency of thin pancake batter. Some additional soda or flour may need to be added. Dip each bar into batter and deep fry for 1 ½ minutes to 2 minutes until golden brown, drain on a paper towel.

To assemble the sandwich, place a cookie on a paper plate and place a deep fried Snickers bar on top of the cookie and press a second cookie on top then lightly dust with powdered sugar. Leave on the bamboo skewer for “Sin on a Stick”