RESTAURANT REPLICAS : OUT OF THE SEA: FROM SCAMPI TO JAMBALAYA, COPYCATS COME ASHORE.Byline: Natalie Haughton Daily News Food Editor Judging from the mail and the number of requests received for copycat versions of its dishes and the long waiting lines for dining, the Cheesecake Factory restaurant (with 23 locations throughout the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. and more opening this year) is one popular restaurant. It's not surprising, as all locations offer a huge selection (some 200) of menu choices as well as good value for the money, which translates into large portions. Consistently, over the years, more readers have requested copies of creations - from appetizers to desserts - from this chain than from any other restaurant. Among the latest Cheesecake Factory requests are Shrimp Scampi and Cajun Jambalaya jam·ba·lay·a n. A Creole dish consisting of rice that has been cooked with shrimp, oysters, ham, or chicken and seasoned with spices and herbs. [Louisiana French, from Provençal jambalaia. Pasta. Yoni yoni In Hinduism, a representation of the female sexual organ and feminine generative power, the symbol of the goddess Shakti (see shakti). The yoni is often associated with the phallic linga, the symbol of the god Shiva. Rosenberg of Encino asked for a replica version of the scampi recipe, noting that it is excellent. And indeed it is. It is among the 10 top-selling dishes on the menu, advised one of the restaurant's manager in Woodland Hills. Unlike traditional scampis, which are made with butter, olive oil olive oil, pale yellow to greenish oil obtained from the pulp of olives by separating the liquids from solids. Olive oil was used in the ancient world for lighting, in the preparation of food, and as an anointing oil for both ritual and cosmetic purposes. , lemon juice and garlic, the Cheesecake Factory's (as noted on the menu) is a Paris bistro-style version containing white wine, garlic, cream, fresh basil, parsley and tomatoes served with angel hair pasta. We've taken a couple of shortcuts See Win Shortcuts. in our replica rendition. To speed preparation, and for convenience, we opted to use shelled and deveined cooked shrimp rather than raw - and we also used smaller shrimp than the colossal or giant size used by the restaurant. Each serving at the restaurant comes with six butterflied shrimp that have been floured or thinly battered, a step we omitted. Because we desired more sauce (than is served at the restaurant) to accompany the pasta, we designed our recipe to make plenty, so there is some to serve over the angel hair pasta. Our duplicate version - with the liberties taken - goes together without much hassle. After sauteeing the shrimp in oil and butter for a minute or two and removing to a plate, reduce some white wine with garlic in the same skillet. Then stir in whipping cream Noun 1. whipping cream - cream that has enough butterfat (30% to 36%) to be whipped light whipping cream cream - the part of milk containing the butterfat along with more garlic and chopped fresh parsley and cook a few minutes longer. Stir in a little instant blending flour to thicken thick·en tr. & intr.v. thick·ened, thick·en·ing, thick·ens 1. To make or become thick or thicker: Thicken the sauce with cornstarch. The crowd thickened near the doorway. 2. the sauce just slightly - and then add plenty of chopped fresh basil and tomatoes. Serve the sauce over the angel hair, top with the shrimp and stir the shrimp into the sauce. Either way it's divine - a combination that tasters gave top marks. Granted, the dish is loaded with calories and cholesterol, but it's worth the splurge. It's an easy dish and would impress the most discriminating guests. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the menu, the Cajun Jambalaya Pasta is the most popular dish at the Cheesecake Factory. And it's easy to understand why. It's a fabulous hot and spicy melange mé·lange also me·lange n. A mixture: "[a] building crowned with a mélange of antennae and satellite dishes" Howard Kaplan. of chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, red and green peppers and onions served atop linguini, but it's not for the timid. If you like the idea, but can only take so much spice, ask the restaurant to tone down the heat a little. If you make our replica recipe, you can adjust the Cajun seasoning to your liking. Although we've included a recipe for Cajun Seasoning Mix that you can make in no time flat, you can substitute store-bought Cajun seasoning, if desired. Last in today's recipe roundup is a copy of a Gumbo gumbo, another name for okra; also applied in the W United States to a rich, black, alkaline alluvial soil, which is soapy or sticky when wet. gumbo creation sampled at Fins Seafood Grill in Calabasas (also in Westlake Village). It's wonderful and spicy with chicken, sea bass and shrimp - and has rich flavor. The secret to gumbo success is making a dark brown roux Roux , Pierre Paul Émile 1853-1933. French bacteriologist. His work with the diphtheria bacillus led to the development of antitoxins to neutralize pathogenic toxins. - in this case by cooking flour with olive oil and the veggies Veggies of Nottingham, also known as Veggies Catering Campaign, is a campaigning group based in Nottingham, England, promoting ethicalbum alternatives to mainstream fast food. until the flour has browned until a little darker than caramel-colored. Fresh sliced okra okra: see mallow. okra Herbaceous, hairy, annual plant (Hibiscus esculentus or Abelmoschus esculentus), of the mallow family, grown for its edible fruit. Okra leaves are deeply notched; flowers are yellow with a crimson centre. goes in near the end of the cooking time. If you're not an okra fan or are afraid of ending up with a slimy texture in the gumbo, leave it out completely. A little gumbo file powder is stirred in just before serving, but that's not mandatory either. All of the dishes in this trio are winners. Give them a try soon. And if you don't feel like re-creating them in your own kitchen, sample them at the restaurants. You're in for some wonderful dining. Harriet Part, a San Fernando Valley-based food consultant, assisted with development of the following recipes. SHRIMP SCAMPI 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound shelled and deveined (leave tail on) cooked jumbo shrimp Seasoned salt and garlic pepper to taste 4 garlic cloves, pressed OR minced 3/4 cup cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, French Columbard OR other) 1 1/4 cups whipping cream 1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons instant blending flour (Wondra) 1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (squeeze out as much juice as possible prior to chopping tomatoes) 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil 1 package (9 ounces) angel hair pasta, cooked, drained and tossed with butter and Parmesan cheese In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat butter and oil over high heat until hot and bubbly; do not allow to burn. Add shrimp, a sprinkling of seasoned salt and garlic pepper and 1/2 of garlic. Saute, stirring often, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove shrimp to a plate, leaving any liquid in skillet. Add wine to skillet along with remaining garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, over high heat 2 to 3 minutes to reduce wine a little. Add cream and parsley and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, over high heat 3 to 4 minutes. Quickly whisk in flour until smooth and continue whisking until bubbly, cooked and thickened thick·en tr. & intr.v. thick·ened, thick·en·ing, thick·ens 1. To make or become thick or thicker: Thicken the sauce with cornstarch. The crowd thickened near the doorway. 2. , about 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes and basil. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Taste for seasoned salt and garlic pepper and add more to taste, if necessary. Stir in shrimp. Serve with hot buttered angel hair pasta tossed with Parmesan cheese. Makes 2 to 3 servings. SHRIMP AND CHICKEN JAMBALAYA Cajun Seasoning Mix 3 tablespoons EACH butter and olive oil 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless Bone´less a. 1. Without bones. Adj. 1. boneless - being without a bone or bones; "jellyfish are boneless" chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces 1 pound shelled and deveined cooked large shrimp 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 large red OR white onion, halved and then cut into thin strips 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) ready-cut diced, peeled tomatoes (such as S&W) 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. fresh spinach linguine OR fettuccine fet·tuc·ci·ne n. In both senses also called tagliatelle. 1. Pasta in narrow flat strips. 2. A dish made with such strips of pasta. [Italian, pl. , cooked and drained 1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated fresh linguine OR fettuccine, cooked and drained Prepare Cajun Seasoning Mix. In a large 12-inch nonstick non·stick adj. Permitting easy removal of adherent food particles: a frying pan with a nonstick surface. nonstick Adjective skillet, heat 1 tablespoon EACH butter and olive oil until very hot. Add 1/2 of chicken pieces and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning Mix. Stir-fry over high heat until chicken is cooked through (turns white) and very golden brown. Remove to a plate. Repeat above directions with remaining chicken. Add 1/2 tablespoon EACH butter and oil to skillet and heat until very hot. Add all of shrimp and 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning Mix and stir-fry a minute or two. Remove to plate. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon EACH butter and oil to skillet and heat until hot. Add red and green peppers and onion. Stir-fry until tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon Cajun Spice Mix and undrained tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Return chicken and shrimp to skillet and heat through. Adjust Cajun seasoning to taste, adding more mix as needed as needed prn. See prn order. . Place cooked and drained linguine on a large platter. Spoon sauce over all. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 5 servings. CAJUN SEASONING MIX: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons paprika paprika: see pepper. , 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic pepper OR seasoned black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon seasoned salt and 1 tablespoon dried parsley OR 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme. Mix until well blended. Makes 1/3 cup. CHICKEN AND SHRIMP GUMBO 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 medium skinned and boned chicken breast halves, diced 3 cloves garlic, pressed 1 large onion, diced 3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper 1 cup finely chopped celery 1/3 cup flour 6 cups chicken broth OR 1 (49-ounce) can chicken broth 1 teaspoon seasoned salt 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun OR Creole seasoning (OR to taste) 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon thyme, crushed 5 small fresh okra, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/2 pound fresh sea bass fillet fillet /fil·let/ (fil´et) 1. a loop, as of cord or tape, for making traction on the fetus. 2. in the nervous system, a long band of nerve fibers. fil·let n. 1. , cut into 1-inch pieces 1/2 pound cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp 1/2 teaspoon gumbo file powder In a large stock pot over high heat 1 tablespoon oil until hot. Add chicken and stir-fry until chicken is golden brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Add remaining 5 tablespoons oil to pot; heat until hot. Stir in garlic, onion, green pepper and celery. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown. Blend in flour and stir until flour has browned (a little darker than a caramel color; do not burn and blacken black·en v. black·ened, black·en·ing, black·ens v.tr. 1. To make black. 2. To sully or defame: a scandal that blackened the mayor's name. 3. ). Add chicken broth, stirring until well blended. Stir in seasoned salt, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring occasionally. Return chicken to pot. Partially cover pot and simmer 1 hour over low heat. Add okra and sea bass and continue cooking 10 to 12 minutes longer or just until okra is tender. Stir in shrimp. Remove from heat and stir in gumbo file. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color) Shrimp Scampi, foreground, and Cajun Jambalaya Pasta are two popular entrees on the menu at the Cheesecake Factory. Gus Ruelas/Daily News |
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