Chef La-Toya Fagon

Recipes

Spicy Pumpkin Chilli

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups pumpkin, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 tsp Twist pepper sauce
  • 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes, diced, with juices
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 2 cans dark beer
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 can (15 ounces) chili beans, small red beans, or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Preparation:

Cook first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan until meat is browned, stirring until it crumbles; drain off excess fat. Add chili powder and remaining ingredients, stirring well; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add beans, stirring well, and cook until thoroughly heated.

From Chef La-Toya Fagon www.twistcatering.com

Butternut Squash Pasta

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg rotini pasta
  • 1 butternut squash - small
  • 1 bunch spinach - fresh, stemmed and rough chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic - chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 10 cremin mushroom - sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp crushed chilli flakes
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese - grated

Preparation:

Boil pasta until al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drain pasta

Quarter, seed and peel squash and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

In a large saucepan, sauté the squash in the olive oil until almost tender, approximately 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and stir occasionally. Add spinach, garlic and mushroom with the squash and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring occasionally until any liquid is evaporated.

Add pasta and 1/2 cup of pasta water. Season with lemon juice, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
Remove from heat. Place in a large serving bowl and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

From Chef La-Toya Fagon www.twistcatering.com

Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
  • 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided into 4 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, and finely diced
  • 2 cups arborio rice (can substitute medium grained white rice, but arborio is preferred)
  • 1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp chopped chives or garlic chives
  • Salt

Preparation:

Heat broth in medium sized saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Melt 4 Tbsp of butter in a large saucepan, add onion and butternut squash. Cook over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add rice to onion and squash. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, cook, stirring constantly until wine has been absorbed by the rice. Add a few ladles of broth, just enough to barely cover rice. Cook over medium heat until broth has been absorbed. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 15 to 20 minutes.

During the last minutes of cooking, add remaining tablespoon of butter, 1/3 cup Parmesan, and chives. At this point the rice should have a creamy consistency. Add salt to taste. Serve with remaining grated Parmesan.

From Chef La-Toya Fagon www.twistcatering.com

Roast Local Chicken
with Apple, Onion, Rosemary Pan Stew

A perfectly roasted chicken is the essence of home cooking, especially when the chicken and its fixings are raised responsibly on a nearby farm. This dish is easy to prepare and serve, as the chicken roasts on a bed of apples they ‘melt' and form a tasty rustic pan stew that's then easily tossed with the roast chicken. Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:

  • 4 local apples, quartered and cored
  • 2 onions, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 carrots, cut into small chunks
  • 1 head of garlic, peeled into individual whole cloves
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 cup apple cider
  • a roasting chicken, 4 lbs. or so
  • 2 thinly sliced green onions

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350°. Toss the apples, onions, carrots, garlic and rosemary together in a roasting pan large enough to hold the chicken. Season them well with salt and pepper. Pour in the cider. Season the chicken well and rest on top of the apples. Place in your oven and roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken thigh reads 165°, about 20 min. per pound.

As soon as the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice, cut, pull, shred, tug and otherwise remove the meat from the carcass using any tools at your disposal including a pair of tongs. Reserve the carcass for chicken broth, another meal. Toss the meat with the apple pan stew. Sprinkle with the green onions. Serve and share!

From chefmichaelsmith.com ©Chef Michael Smith