| alfredo
Posted: 4/8/2007 8:40:04 PM | i can hear the walls crashing down now...but this recipe is worth trying...its a basic alfredo sauce but with a slight twist...
alfredo sauce
i head of garlic...(12 cloves or so)
3 tablespoons of butter
1- 500 ml. container of heavy cream
i can of mushroom soup
and at least 1 cup of grated parmesan...i use more but its up to you
peel and mince garlic very fine...fry in butter in a large heavy pot till golden
add heavy cream andslowly bring to a low boil
take the soup and mix with an equal amount of milk and add to pot...whisking constantly...slowly add parmesan cheese...whisking all the while...cook until it starts to thicken
next take about a litre of milk to which you have added and mixed about 1/2 cup of flour...make sure no lumps
slowly add this to the pot...always always keep the sauce moving or it will stick and burn...you can vary the amount of flour more flour for thicker sauce...less for thinner...keep cooking till it wont thicken any more...done...pretty easy huh?
you can add salt if you want but the cheese is already pretty salty...dont limit this sauce to alfredo noodles...i use it as a cheese sauce on stuff like broccoli or cauliflower...or for dipping shrimp into...i also use it in place of hollandaise for eggs benedict...
the basic recipe i used called for cream of chicken soup...(which i didnt have on hand...but i did have cream of mushroom which is made with chicken soup as a base)...
mushrooms...cream...butter...garlic...cheese...perfect!...
you can use parmagiana reggiano if you can afford it but a cheaper parmesan will do...
dont try to rush cooking it or you will risk burning it...and as soon as the garlic you are cooking in the butter starts to turn the slightest hint of gold color...add the cream to stop it from getting browner | |
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Posted: 4/9/2007 3:50:45 AM | Sounds good but have you noticed the thickener used in soups has changed? It is now more gelatinous than it used to be. I think its more cornstarch-like. My recipes do not come out quite the same as before. It breaks easier, too. I dislike that.
Had some of the real reggiano recently and man were my tastebuds in heaven! But $30 a pound for cheese is rediculous, too. | |
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Posted: 4/9/2007 4:35:57 AM | | now that you mention it i have noticed a bit of a difference esp as far as the sauce having a tendency to separate if it has been thawed out from a frozen state...it does blend back together again tho | |
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Posted: 4/9/2007 11:00:54 AM | | Have you tried a good asiago cheese random? It works well in place of parmesan and Ive found some decent quality stuff for 6-8/lb. 30 bucks for a pound of cheese is ridiculous. I like to use cream chicken soup not a mushroom fan. | |
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Posted: 4/9/2007 11:09:57 AM | | peccorino will work as well...not as expensive as asiago either | |
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Posted: 4/9/2007 12:37:02 PM | There's a bunch of cheeses like parmasian that aren't, but are so close they're by far good enough at about half the price.
Allegedly real alfredo just uses cultured butter. Whatever. Here's how I make it.
Mash up a few cloves of garlic, procure, or make, some fresh fettucine. Slice 3-6 or so sh1take mushrooms as thin as you can. Boil the pasta till al dente, darins and rinse; set aside.
Put equal amount of butter and good olive oil in the (now cleaned) pot you cooked the pasta in and add the garlic. As soon as it's fregrant add the mushrooms, stir for a minute then add the pasta, still till it's hot, then dump in some cream. You can use half and half or whipping cream or anything in between. Grate a bit ot nutmeg into it, salt and black pepper. Stir slowly; you want this over fairly high heat. As the cream reduces add a healthy (hah! as if...) amount of grated parmasian and some more cream. As it reduces some more add more cream and reduce a bit. Serve.
Variations: add scallops toward the end. Or add uncooked shrimp with the musrooms. If you add 2T of tomato paste you get a light tomato sauce. Or, add some finely diced jalapeno if you like spicy food. Do not scrimp on the garlic. I use 6 good sized cloves, mashed and then chopped. If you use too much cream when you use shrimp and tomato you can pull the pasta out and what's left is a very credible shrimp bisque. Add a bit of sherry or brandy to it if you do this.
The whole thing takes about 10 minutes - it's really fast and easy as is to quote my errant children: "exemplatory".
Sh1takke mushrooms blend really well with the flavour of the sauce. It was a big surprise when I first made this up. Other mushrooms don't seem to work although I've never tried morels or chanterelles - they might.
I dunno about canned soup dude, have you seen what's in that crap?. Bleh. And you have a can to throw out. | |
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Posted: 4/9/2007 1:06:15 PM | i wasnt inviting a "critique"...someone asked how i make it...there it is...
three of the top chefs in this city have all tried my alfredo...as well as my tomato sauce...thumbs up by all 3...
you can take 100 ppl cooking the same thing and get 100 variations...all probably good...all probably with each cooks personal touches interjected...because i retail it...i have to strive for consistency in the product...i have achieved that...
i dont use nutmeg for the simple reason that the delicate flavor of nutmeg gets lost in the heavy taste of the garlic and cheese...
there are tons...well a lot of parmesan type cheeses available...peccorino is good but it is not made with cows milk...
for my alfredo i use parmesan...maybe not regianno but a good quality...
how you make it sounds ok...how i make it works for me...my customers at the market like it and they pay me...so if something aint broke...it dont need fixing
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Posted: 9/13/2007 4:31:18 PM | finally decided to try this alfredo recipe...it really was delicious...
always open to trying different recipes for the same thing...so anyone have a favorite alfredo recipe? | |
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Posted: 9/18/2007 6:35:14 PM | I make a very basic alfredo but it always comes out great. Very simple really but you have to constantly stir or this will scorch on the bottom....
Make a roux. Use about 1/4 lb of butter (please, do not use margerine or I will be forced to come to your house and spank you!). Melt this in a medium sized pot. Add in 1 small onion, finely chopped. Don't brown the onions, just sweat them (for about 2 or 3 minutes on medium heat). Now add in about 3 or 4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced. Continue to cook for about a minute. Don't let the garlic brown. Next, add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of regular flour. Stir constantly to mix the flour into the butter/onion/garlic mixture and cook it until it starts to lightly 'tan' in the pan (not brown, at that point it is over cooked). This just takes about 1 minute.
Now quickly add a couple of cups of low-fat milk (yes, you can use skim or 1%). 2 cups for starters. Nope, I don't use cream, it's just too fattening and there is no need to. Stir constantly over medium heat until the whole mixture thickens. It's okay if it's a bit runny cause you are gonna be adding cheese shortly and this will thicken it up. If it's too thick keep adding milk till it's a bit runny.
At this point I add 2 individual packages of dry chicken bouillion and mix that in.
Now you are going to add parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella. About 1/2 cup of each. Stir until blended (over medium heat, never high). Note: cheese selection is a subjective thing! The parmesan is a must but I've made this with mozza, swiss, brick, farmers, whatever I have on hand ('cept cheddar of course, that doesn't really work for an alfredo...) .
That's it, you're done.
If I am going to add mushrooms I saute them seperately in a pan with a bit of butter and add them into the final mixure. Add chopped crispy bacon and it becomes Bacon Carbonara. Good either way.
Oh ya, in the meanwhile you should have had a pot of boiling water on for your pasta of choice. I throw my pasta in right around the time I am adding the milk to the alfredo.
Don't forget to serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan on top.
Does this sound complicated? It shouldn't. It is so quick and easy it is unbelieveable. I've been making this so long now I don't even really know the exact ingredient measures anymore. I just walk up to the stove and cook it you know? No thought processes involved.  | |
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Posted: 9/18/2007 6:54:19 PM | Speaking of alfredo..
Cajun chichen alfredo
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 green onion, sliced
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 ounces linguine, cooked and drained
grated parmesan cheese (optional)
Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl or resealable plastic bag, toss or shake to coat.
In a large skillet over medium heat saute chicken in butter until almost tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add onion; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat. Add cream and seasonings; heat through. Add linguine and toss; heat through. | |
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Posted: 9/18/2007 7:28:29 PM |
The parmesan is a must
So, if I make this with Romano, which I prefer, instead of Parmesan, does that make this an alfrodo sauce, objectivist? 
Othwerwise, sounds tasty enough. | |
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Posted: 9/18/2007 7:36:01 PM | Um... I believe it still does. 
I personally insist on parm, I didn't consider Romano because I don't care for it. But, as noted, the cheese selection is truly subjective to the individual. Let's face it.....ALL cheese is GOOD. | |
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Posted: 9/19/2007 4:17:40 PM | | FistnCuff's recipe for pasta alfredo sounds great ... i'll try it and let you know what I think | |
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Posted: 9/19/2007 9:19:43 PM | What is it with you People overseas, you all use Artificial crap in your recipes.
Mushroon soup has MSG in it and artificial flavours and colours. Use fresh mushrooms instead!
You dont need flour to thicken a cream sauce either!
A Basic Alfredo is just:
FRESH GARLIC
FRESH CREAM
AGED PARMESAN Grated
Cook off garlic add cream and grated parmesan and COOK until cream is reduced (which thickens the sauce NATURALLY
TOO EASY...
Really nice to add FRESH MUSHROOMS and Cooked Chicken, onions if you like, bacon is also nice.
All the best for you people over there not using Fresh produce and adding Flour to thicken everything. Reduction is the best way to thicken any recipe. | |
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Posted: 9/19/2007 9:40:07 PM | Alfredo can be tasty....I saw this thread and showed it to an Italian friend of mine. HE said that fyi princess msg is not an artifical ingredient. It's actually found in seaweed and raw tomatoes.
Also I take offense to your criticism of fist's alfredo recipe. That's just how he does alfredo. Notice there are several different spins on alfredo sauces already posted here. You do yours your way....he does his his way. No need to get all judgy and critical just coz someone's recipe differs from yours. You don't necessarily have to follow his recipe. But someone on here might. That's what these forums are for is posting and sharing recipes. Don't forget....fisty's alfredo is well loved by top chefs in his burg. | |
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Posted: 9/19/2007 9:49:44 PM | | Come on Trinity you know fistncuffs would be the first one to jump on someone for using a can of soup in something! Of course there will be variations from others it is a forum! Oh well. I agree with princess anyways and I think selling a sauce that you made with a premade ingredient such as "canned soup" is sly and not really your cooking. If someone wants to follow his recipe good for them but of course others will state what their recipe is! | |
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Posted: 9/20/2007 5:33:01 PM | Fist,
All I can say is WOW! Loved the recipe and got lots of compliments for it. I poured it over some chicken breast that had been breaded and placed on a bed of fettucini noodles.
K | |
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Posted: 9/20/2007 9:35:10 PM | lovefriends...that's almost exactly what i did with it...only difference is i grilled the chicken...i emailed the OP after i made it to tell him how wonderful it was...he loves when people try his recipes and was very appreciative that i let him know how happy i was with his alfredo recipe... | |
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Posted: 9/21/2007 6:25:46 AM | My darling daughter - who fancies herself a great chef - made fettuccini alfredo - only after an hour did she come to me to say, Mom, I can't get the sauce to thicken.
'Put a little flour in it"
I've been putting flour in it -it still won't thicken!
I went in, lifted the lid, added a little flour, and it thickened up beautifully. Then I tasted it.......and nearly died!!
Granted, to the novice, two things that can look alike are flour and icing sugar............. | |
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Posted: 9/21/2007 8:08:06 AM | | You don't need flour to thicken your alfredo, the cream should thicken up with the cheese by itself. I think I know why your daughters didn't, you said you went over and removed the lid !!!! Having a lid on kept all the moisture in and was making it watery....I um..uh..think? | |
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Posted: 9/21/2007 11:46:10 AM | I gotta agree with Trinity....everyone has different ways of making things...the fun of the forum is seeing the differences and perhaps...just perhaps... incorporating some of their techniques or ingredients. Okay, babe from OZ, perhaps you prefer your food to be all natural...great on you but there is no need to dump on others just because you like things differently.
Bottom line.....food is all about taste and not everyone has the same tastes....isn't that what makes the whole world neat ???? Not everything is the same...homogenized beyond belief??? Revel in the differences instead of slagging them. | |
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Posted: 9/21/2007 12:05:43 PM | | yummy I like this dish you can add shrimp or chicken or peas to this dish. | |
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Posted: 9/21/2007 7:29:39 PM | now to ticken alfedo I don't use flour instead egg yolks makes a tasty creamier sauce fr sure and with flour sometimes you will get that floury taste if its not cooked out.
500 ML cream
6 egg yolks beatened
1 cup fresh grated parmesian
fresh ground pepper
parsley flakes
5- 10 clove fineley chopped garlic
and 5 cloves oven roasted chopped garlic ( adds a natural sweetness) use garlic as to your taste.
stir over low heat until hot and thickened
variations, you can add bacon, mushrooms, chicken powder( maggie brand), any pasta, shrimp, broc., figs work well finely chopped with braised beef and penette theres alot you can do with the basic alfredo sauce. | |
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Posted: 9/22/2007 10:37:11 AM | | suzy....THANK YOU....nuff said. | |
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Posted: 9/23/2007 2:43:46 PM | | What exactly is heavy cream??? Don't laugh.......I don't cook much. | |
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