Chocolate, Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 11

Serves 8

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature plus more to butter pan
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 large ripe bananas peeled and mashed
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more to butter pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and set a rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, shaking off any excess flour.

In a stand mixer, set with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until completely creamy and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the egg and give it a minute to mix in. Add the bananas, cream cheese and vanilla, continue mixing for a minute.

Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and continue beating for another 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides if need be.

In a small bowl, combine the boiling water with the cocoa powder and stir until well mixed. Add to the mixer and beat for another couple minutes. Lastly, add the chocolate chunks and beat for another minute until fully incorporated.

Scrape into the prepared loaf pan, shake a few times to level the batter. Place into the oven and bake anywhere from 55 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick comes out moist but not wet, the top of bread has browned and is springy to the touch.

Remove from the oven and let cool. Run a butter knife along sides of the pan, turn out onto plate, and then flip onto serving platter, so it is right side up.

Cajun Shrimp and Sausage Pasta is a spice lover’s dream! Plump, Cajun-seasoned shrimp are seared and tossed with Andouille sausage and fettuccine in a simple sauce and topped with green onion. Perfect for weeknights, Mardi Gras celebrations, and anytime in between!

Serves 6

sipandfeast.com

INGREDIENTS
1 pound fettuccine or linguine, spaghetti, etc
2 pounds shrimp cleaned and deveined
2 tablespoons Cajun spice seasoning divided, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces Andouille sausage thin sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large bell peppers diced
1 medium onion diced
3 ribs celery diced
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup heavy cream
5 green onions sliced
2 cups reserved pasta water will most likely not need it all

INSTRUCTIONS
Bring a large pot of salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt) to boil. In a bowl mix shrimp with baking soda and 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and wait 10 minutes before cooking.

Heat your largest pan to medium heat and sear the shrimp in olive oil until cooked through (about 3-4 minutes). Place the shrimp on a plate and tent with foil.

Add the Andouille sausage to the same pan and cook for a couple of minutes per side or until some color develops. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and place it on the same plate as the shrimp and keep tented with foil.

Add the onions, peppers, and celery to the pan and saute for about 10-12 minutes or until they take on some color and soften considerably. If needed, add a touch more olive oil for the saute process. At this time begin boiling the pasta to 2-3 minutes less than al dente.

Once the peppers are soft add in the chicken stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. With a wooden spoon scrape up all of the brown bits from the pan.

Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Once the sauce starts to thicken (about 2-3 minutes) add the pasta and continue to simmer while stirring frequently. Add some of the reserved pasta water to keep everything moist while the pasta cooks.

Add the sausage and shrimp about 1 minute before the pasta reaches al dente then turn off the heat. Add the green onions and taste test. Add more of the Cajun seasoning to taste. Note: It’s best to wait to add more of the seasoning due to the spicy nature of the Andouille.

If the pasta dries out before serving just add a bit of reserved pasta water to thin it out.

Tiger Pound Cake uses sour cream to make the cake moist. Use ice cream scoops to plop the chocolate batter on the orange batter as a swirling mechanism.

Serves 10

patijinich.com

INGREDIENTS
2 cups unsalted butter plus more to grease a 10 x 3.5 inch bundt pan
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more to dust the bundt pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch kosher or coarse sea salt
8 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a bundt pan and coat with flour, dusting off any excess flour.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter using the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until soft and creamy, anywhere from 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating until fluffy and puffy.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the eggs with vanilla and sour cream.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, and take turns adding flour mixture and egg mixture. Continue beating until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula if need be. Transfer 1/3 the dough to another bowl, leaving the remaining 2/3 of the dough in the mixer.

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the hot water and cocoa. With a rubber spatula, fold the cocoa mixture into the 1/3 of the batter set aside in an extra bowl until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

To the batter left in the mixer, add the orange zest, almond extract and orange juice, and beat until completely mixed.

With two ice cream scoops or measuring cups, alternate dropping the chocolate batter and the orange-almond batter into the bundt pan. When all the batter is in the pan, run a butter knife or a skewer through it to create the marbled look.

Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, until springy to the touch, lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out moist, but not wet. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool.

Once cool, run a butter knife around the cake and invert onto a platter. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Low-fat and from Bon Appetit.

INGREDIENTS
3 large eggs
1 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 18″x12″x1″ baking sheet. Combine first 4
ingredients in bowl of heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with a paddle
attachment. Beat until well blended. Mix flour, almonds, cinnamon, baking
soda and salt in medium bowl. Gradually add to egg mixture, beating until
blended (dough will be soft).

Turn dough out onto floured surface and gather together. Roll dough between
palms and work surface into 16-inch-long log. Transfer to prepared
sheet.Flatten log to 1-inch thickness. Bake until light brown and cracked on
top, about 30 minutes. Transfer sheet to rack; cool log 10 minutes. Reduce
oven temperature to 325 F.

Transfer warm log to work surface. Using serrated knife, cut log on sharp
diagonal into 1/4 – to 1/3 – inch thick slices. Arrange on baking sheets.
Bake 10 minutes per side. Transfer to racks and cool. (biscotti will harden
while cooling).

Can be made ahead. Store airtight up to 1 week.