Sherry Gottlieb: Recipes

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp basil
1 TBSP chopped garlic
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 C diced peeled and seeded tomatoes
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 C green onions, chopped
3 C chicken or shrimp stock
1 lb vermicelli pasta or linguine
1 lb fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (can substitute chicken)
1/2 C grated parmesan cheese

Sauté the onion in the olive oil for approximately four minutes. Add the garlic and stir. Add thyme, cayenne and black peppers, and basil and cook at low heat for five more minutes. Add everything else except for the pasta, shrimp, and cheese, and cook over lowish heat for an hour.

Sauté the shrimp in some butter and garlic until three-quarters cooked (pink, but not totally opaque). Add the sauce and cook for an additional two minutes. Add the cooked pasta and toss well with the grated cheese. Serve hot.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

Great for parties – or can be halved or quartered for smaller groups.

4 lbs mushrooms
1 C onions, finely chopped
2 C salad oil
3/4 C distilled vinegar
3 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP tarragon
(fresh is nice, but not essential)

Clean mushrooms. Sauté onions in oil until transparent. Add mushrooms and sauté until half-cooked. Add all other ingredients. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from fire and let cool in own juices. Store in glass or stainless steel container. Drain before serving.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

1 navel orange
3/4 C sugar
2 TBSP water
2 C sifted flour
2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 C milk
1 TBSP oil

Cut unpeeled orange into quarters and put in blender or food processor to finely chop. Combine 1/4 C sugar and water in saucepan, bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add orange and cook until thick, about fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Sift together remaining 1/2 C sugar, flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.

Mix egg, milk, oil, and orange mixture. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just blended — do not overmix. Turn batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan or a 6-cup mold and bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes. Cool on rack. Wrap well and refrigerate overnight.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

4 ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 C fresh basil strips
1/2 C chopped Italian parsley
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
Hot pepper sauce to taste
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt/pepper to taste

Place chopped tomatoes and garlic in a very hot, ungreased sauté pan. Sear quickly until charred, approx. 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well over the fire for minute or two.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

This method of cooking duck produces a bird which is not fatty, yet is so moist and flavorful that a sauce is not necessary.

Quarter one onion and one apple, stuff in duck cavity with a sprig of rosemary.

Place duck on a steamer rack over water in a large pot (don't let the bird touch the water). Cover tightly and steam the duck for exactly 90 minutes, adding more water if it evaporates.

Remove duck and let cool. Cut duck in half lengthwise and remove all bones except for drumstick. Flatten duck halves with palm of hand. (Can be done in advance to this point; wrap in foil and refrigerate or freeze.)

Place duck halves skin-side-up on a broiler pan, salt them, and put them about 3" under a preheated broiler for 6-8 minutes, until skin is golden brown.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

Don't let the fact that this easy recipe starts with a mix deter you; this is a very rich cake which satisfies the most demanding chocolate jones.

1 box Devil’s Food Cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
1 (4 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding
5 eggs
16 oz. sour cream
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups chocolate chips
butter for greasing pan
frosting (I use Betty Crocker’s Dark Chocolate Rich & Creamy Frosting)

In large bowl, mix cake mix, pudding, eggs, sour cream, butter, almond extract. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into greased 12-cup Bundt pan.

Bake at 350° until top is springy to touch, 50-55 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Remove cake to serving plate and frost.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

An Argentine spiced parsley sauce for grilled and roasted meats.

1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/2 C finely chopped onions
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/4 C finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine oil and vinegar in a bowl, beating them together with a whisk or fork. Stir in remaining ingredients. Let stand at room temperature for 2–3 hours before serving.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

Novelist Jim Smith has given me permission to share this fantastic dish – it is worth every single calorie!

1/3 cup onions
1/3 cup bell pepper
1-1/2 cups corn
1/4 cup carrots
1 cup new/red potatoes
3-4 strips bacon, chopped
1 stick butter

1 lb. crawfish tails with fat (frozen is fine)
2 cups filtered clam juice
4-6 TBSP flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 of a 2 oz. bottle of K-Pauls Seafood Magic seasoning
1 bottle good white wine

1. Open wine, pour a glass, and turn on music.

2. Saute crawfish and cubed potatoes in 1/2 stick butter and K-Pauls Seafood Magic seasoning for about 5 minutes, then set aside.

3. Dice and saute the rest of the veggies and the bacon in the other 1/2 stick of butter for about 5 minutes. Add the flour to make a light roux.

4. Add clam juice, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. It should be creamy, but if not, add a little more flour at this point.

5. Add cream, then stir in crawfish and potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve.

Cajun Shrimp Pasta ? Terrific Marinated Mushrooms
Orange Bread ? Charred Tomato Sauce ? Roast Duck
Chocolate Cake ? Chimichurri ? Crawfish & Corn Chowder
Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce

I got this recipe through a recipe exchange a few years ago, but I didn't retain the original e-mail, so I have no idea who sent it to me, but the sender noted: This sauce has been known in our family as Hilda Gerber's Rich Chocolate Sauce for as long as I can remember and whenever its name is spoken, there is always a knowing roll of the eyes and lick of the lips.

4 oz. of the best quality dark chocolate
4 oz. icing sugar [powdered/confectioners' sugar]
4 whole eggs
8 oz. butter

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Add sieved icing sugar and mix (you'll think it's all gone horribly wrong at this stage, but stay cool). Add eggs one by one -- beat together but do NOT boil. Take off heat and add roughly chopped butter and allow to melt in. Stir together. Leave to cool and then pour over whatever you want — or just eat it by the spoonful.