The Neelys Recipes

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil and poultry seasoning. Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture. Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans. Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with some green bell pepper, celery and onion. Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

NEELY'S BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, for 1 hour 15 minutes.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY WITH HOLIDAY RUB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Mix all of the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl.
• Put the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Generously season the turkey cavity with salt and pepper, to taste. Brush the turkey with olive oil, and rub it with the seasoning mixture. Tie the legs together loosely to hold their shape, and tuck the wing tips under.
• Roast the turkey until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165 to 170 degrees F, about 3 hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a platter. Tent it very loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees). Reserve the juices in the pan.
• Gravy: Scrape the juices and browned bits from the roasting pan into a large glass measuring cup. Spoon off the fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. If necessary, add enough stock to the juices to measure 1 2/3 cups.
• Heat the reserved 2 tablespoons fat in a heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and shallots, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and whisk until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the degreased pan juices, and the 2 cups stock. Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer until the gravy is reduced to the desired consistency, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the lemon juice, and the sour cream. Season the gravy with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the gravy into a serving bowl. Carve the turkey and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve the turkey with the gravy.

SPICY CRAB CAKES WITH LEMON AIOLI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a medium size pan over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted add the shallot, 1 clove of garlic and red pepper. Lightly saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, crab boil seasoning, fresh parsley, 1/2 cup of the panko and egg. Mix in cooked vegetables, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add crabmeat and stir well.
• Form crab cakes using about 2 tablespoons of crab mixture for each cake.. Flatten until they're about 3/4 inches high. Dip the cakes into the remaining panko.
• Add oil to a large skillet over high heat. Add crab cakes and saute, flipping once, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Serve with Lemon Aioli.
• In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together.

NEELY'S BREAKFAST SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Fry the bacon in a nonstick skillet until cooked but not yet crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined sheet tray. Let cool. Reserve the bacon drippings in the skillet.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cheese and bacon and toss. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of cream with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Remove the dough to the countertop and knead briefly until it is smooth and uniform in appearance. Pat the dough out to a 1-inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter dipped in flour, punch out dough rounds. Push together the leftover dough and pat out again to 1-inch thick and cut out rounds. Arrange the biscuits on the parchment lined sheet tray.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream and the egg. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the egg wash and sprinkle with kosher salt. Put immediately into the oven and bake for 18 minutes.
• When the biscuits come out of the oven, start frying the eggs. Heat the same nonstick skillet used earlier (to cook the bacon) over medium heat. Once heated, crack the eggs into the pan and cook until the white is set and the eggs begin to turn golden brown. Spoon some of the hot grease over the yolks to help it cook. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To assemble the sandwiches, split the biscuits in half and spread some mango preserves on the inside of the biscuit tops. Put a small handful of arugula on each of the bottoms. Top with the fried eggs and cover with the top of the biscuit. Serve immediately.