Recipe: Collection - Carrabba's Recipes (15)

CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL BRUSCHETTE CARRABBA
Source: Chef Chad in Houston TX

"Bruschette" (singular form is Bruschetta); is a grilled rustic Italian bread, embellished, with a variety of toppings. In its simplest form, Bruschetta can consist of toasted bread, rubbed with fresh garlic and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. Or it can be topped according to your own tastes and imagination, like these mouthwatering variations from Carrabba's. Carrabba's Manager Charles Criswell graciously shares their tantalizing version of this simple, rustic antipasto, which includes some with saut ed mushrooms paired with fontina cheese, as well as the ever-popular tomato-pesto-mozzarella combination. The pesto can be made at home, but it is widely available now is our markets.
Makes - 6 slices

1 loaf Italian-style or French bread
1 stick butter, softened
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3 slices Fontina cheese, thinly sliced and trimmed to fit bread slices
3 slices mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced and trimmed to fit bread slices
3 oz. mushrooms, sliced, and saut ed in butter
3 slices Roma tomato, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 Tbsp pesto sauce (use the classic Pesto containing basil and pine nuts - available in most grocery stores)
Pinch of extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of fresh basil, cut into fine strips (julienne strips)

Bake loaf of Italian bread in oven until lightly browned. Slice the bread into 1/2-inch slices and discard end pieces. Cut larger middle slices into equal halves. Mix softened butter with chopped garlic and garlic powder. Spread garlic butter over six of the smaller pieces of bread. Place fontina slices on 3 buttered slices of bread. Place mozzarella on the three remaining pieces of buttered bread. Place saut ed mushrooms on top of the fontina cheese. Top the mozzarella cheese with the tomato slices and Pesto. Place all six slices on a baking pan and bake in a preheated 500 F oven for 4 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove from oven and top fontina-mushroom bruschette with a drizzle of olive oil. Do not add olive oil to the tomato-pesto bruschette. Sprinkle all bruschette with the thinly sliced basil leaves.

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CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL CHICKEN BRYAN
Source: Chef Chad in Houston TX
Serves 6

Chicken
6 large chicken breasts
1-2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 oz. goat cheese, softened to room temperature

Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
10 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cup finely sliced sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper

Prepare the Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce: Place butter, garlic, and onion in a large skillet over medium heat and saut until garlic and onion are tender and transparent. Add white wine and lemon juice. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer to reduce by half. Reduce heat to low. Add cold butter one piece at a time. Add sun-dried tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper and stir to blend ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare the Chicken: Reduce charcoal briquettes to white-hot coals. Brush chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken over hot coals 15 - 20 minutes or until cooked through. Divide goat cheese evenly between chicken breasts, placing some on each breast for the last two minutes of cooking. Place cooked chicken on serving platter and spoon Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce over chicken.

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CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL MEATBALLS
Source: Chef Chad in Houston TX

1/2 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 lb. ground beef
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped and saut ed
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup pure olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, except olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in large saut pan over medium-high heat. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and fry until golden brown, but not cooked through completely. (Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.)

(In general, most people use just ground beef in their spaghetti sauce. Instead Bobby suggests the combination of three meats: ground pork, ground veal, ground beef - the same meat combination used for meat loaf. Veal and pork can make this dish a little more expensive, but whether it is a meat sauce or a sauce with meatballs, the added depth of flavor truly surpasses that of a singular ground beef sauce).

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CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL POLLO ROSA MARIA
Source: Chef Chad in Houston, TX
Yields 4 servings

Chicken
4 chicken breasts, split for stuffing
4 slices prosciutto ham
1/2 cup fontina cheese

Lemon Butter
1/2 cup clarified butter
3 cloves garlic
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine
4T unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Topping
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh sweet basil, chopped
Lemon Butter Recipe (listed above)
1 lemon, juiced

Chicken:
Open chicken breasts and place butterfly-style on grill over white-hot coals of live oak and pecan wood. Grill 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from grill. When chicken is cool enough to handle, hold breast halves together and stuff each breast with one slice of prosciutto and 1/8 cup fontina cheese. Secure with toothpicks. Set aside in a warm place.

Lemon Butter and Topping:
In a large saut pan over medium heat, combine clarified butter, garlic, and onion and saut until tender. Deglaze pan with white wine. Add unsalted butter, salt, and pepper. Add mushrooms to lemon butter and saut 1-2 minutes or until cooked. Add basil and lemon juice and stir to combine. Place chicken on a serving platter and top with mushrooms in lemon-basil butter and serve.

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CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL SOGNO DI CIOCCOLATA
(Chocolate Dream)
Source: Chef Chad in Houston TX

2 (1 lb. 5.2-oz.) boxes Duncan Hines Fudge Brownie Mix (each using 2 eggs and milk instead of water)
1/2 cup Kahl a (coffee-flavored liqueur)
4 cups chocolate mousse (use your own recipe, or mix up two (4.2-oz. pkg. Chocolate Mousse Mix)
4 cups whipped cream (from 1 1/2 C. heavy cream, whipped)
2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate shavings

Mix brownies according to instructions on box, using the two-egg recipe and substituting milk for the water. Line two 13x9x2 1/2-inch glass or metal pans with either parchment paper or wax paper (the paper lining makes it much easier to remove the brownies from the pan.) Grease bottoms with oil or spray with Pam. Pour batter into pans, and bake - either in a convection oven at 325F for 20 minutes, or in a standard oven for about 24-26 minutes. (The convection oven is preferred - it makes a chewier brownie). Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the brownie comes out clean.

IMPORTANT - DO NOT OVERCOOK. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Loosen the sides with a knife, then remove the brownies in one piece from one of the pans. Turn the brownies upside down and return to the pan. Peel off paper, then brush the brownie with half of the Kahl a, starting from the outer edges and working toward the center. Spread 2 cups of the chocolate mousse evenly over the brownie, then spread 2 cups whipped cream over the mousse.

Use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate, then sprinkle top evenly with chocolate shavings. Remove second brownie from the other pan, brush with remaining Kahl a, and place on top. Repeat layers, first spreading the remaining chocolate mousse, then the remaining whipped cream. (There are no chocolate shavings on top). Refrigerate to store.

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CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL STUFFED MUSHROOMS PARMIGIANA
Source Chef Chad in Houston TX

12-15 large mushrooms
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 oz. diced pepperoni
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely crushed Ritz crackers, about 12 crackers
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/3 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 325F.

Wash mushrooms and remove stems. Finely chop stems and reserve. In a large skillet, melt butter and cook onion, pepperoni, green pepper, garlic, and chopped mushroom stems until tender but not brown. Add crackers, parmesan, parsley, salt, oregano, a dash of pepper, and mix well. Still in broth. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps, heaping tops. In a shallow baking pan with 1/4-inch water covering bottom of pan, place stuffed mushrooms. Bake uncovered about 25 minutes until heated thoroughly.

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CASARITA CAMARON WITH CILANTRO SAUCE
Source: San Antonio Express-News 06/06/2001
Casarita's Restaurant, San Antonio, Texas

12 large (16/20 count) shrimp
12 thin slices jalape o (or serrano) chile
12 thin-sliced bacon strips

Marinade
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 clove fresh garlic, finely chopped

Cilantro Sauce
1 large white onion, chopped
1 large bunch cilantro, washed
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. white wine
1 tsp. chicken base (bouillon)
1/2 tsp. seasoning salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Garnish
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Prepare shrimp:
Rinse shrimp with cold water. Remove the shell, but leave the tail portion intact. Devein and rinse. With a sharp knife, cut the shrimp along the inner, underneath side; do not cut completely through to the top of the shrimp. Place one piece jalape o inside cavity of shrimp. Wrap one strip of the bacon around the shrimp body (not the tail). Fasten with toothpicks or thread shrimp onto a metal skewer. Repeat with remaining shrimp and place them in a flat glass, ceramic or stainless steel dish.

For Marinade:
Combine all ingredients and pour marinade over the shrimp, coating all sides; cover, and set in refrigerator for 1-2 hours until ready to cook.

For Cilantro Sauce:
Place onion and cilantro in a steamer basket, place over boiling water and cover. Let steam for 12-15 minutes, or until onions are very soft. Transfer to a sieve (or use a food mill), set over a bowl, then extract juices and puree solids of onions and cilantro by pressing mixture through sieve with a large spoon or pestle. Scrape any solids from the underside of sieve into juice. Pour heavy cream into a saucepan and whisk in onion and cilantro juices. Add wine, chicken base, seasoning salt, and garlic powder and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Cook shrimp on a grill over a medium flame. If bacon grease causes a flame up, squirt flames with cold water or shift them quickly to a cooler part of the grill until the fire has subsided. Turn once, cooking just until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp are cooked through, about 4-7 minutes. Serve shrimp immediately, topped with Cilantro Sauce and garnished with chopped cilantro.

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CARRABBA'S POLLO ROSA MARIA
http://www.newschannel5.com/tott/recipes/2448.htm

POLLO ROSA MARIA
Greg Gotham/Carrabba s Italian Restaurant
Wednesday, March 1, 2000 Recipe #2448

1 (10 oz) chicken breast, cut in half and butterflied
2 oz fontina cheese, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 thin slice prosciutto
Pinch of white pepper
Favorite Grill Seasonings
Grill basting sauce

Lemon Butter Basil Mushroom Sauce:
Thick sliced mushrooms, sauteed with garlic and parsley
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp chopped onion
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine
Pinch of salt and white pepper
1/3 lb unsalted butter, at room temperature

Fettuccini Alfredo:
1 oz unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and white pepper, to taste
3 oz grated Romano
4 oz fresh fettuccini

Sprinkle each chicken breast with white pepper and place 1/2 slice of prosciutto on one side of breast. Top with cube of fontina. Fold over chicken breast, encasing fontina and prosciutto. Allow to sit for 3 hours. Sprinkle each prepared breast with grill seasoning and baste with available grill baste. Place on grill approximately 5 minutes per side or until done. To make the Pollo Rosa Sauce, saut onion and garlic in 1 ounce of butter until translucent. Reduce to oatmeal consistency. Allow to cool and begin to add 4 ounces of room temperature butter. Whisk over low heat until emulsified. For the Fettuccini Alfredo, melt butter with salt and white pepper. Add 6 ounces heavy cream. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Allow to rest until serving. For the pasta, submerge pasta in salted boiling water according to package instructions. Place pasta in Alfredo sauce. Return to medium heat, sprinkle with grated Romano. Using pasta fork, incorporate Romano into pasta until melted. To finish, incorporate previously sauteed mushrooms and basil into Pollo Rosa sauce. Top pasta with chicken and sauce.

CARRABBA'S HERBS USED WITH BREAD
It says this recipe was received from Scott----one of their best waiters!

Use equal amounts of:
--crushed red and black pepper
--oregano
--rosemary
--basil
--parsley
--fresh gran. garlic
--garlic cloves
--kosher salt

Grind together and put in plate and pour extra virgin olive oil over. Dip bread in and enjoy !

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CARRABBA'S PAPPARDELLE CAMPAGNOLO
Yield 4 Entrees or 6 Appetizers

1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound Italian sausage
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, 1/4" julienne
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes (with their juice, finely chopped)
pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper
2 tbs freshly torn basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated, pecorino romano cheese
4 ounces goat cheese (crumbled)
1 pound papardelle pasta

1. Remove sausage from the casing and break into coarse pieces (about 5-6 pieces from each link). Put olive oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add sausage and cook until the sausage has browned slightly. Add onion and red bell peppers and cook until they soften and onion turns a rich golden color. Add the wine and let evaporate for 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

2. Add the tomatoes and season lightly with salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Raise heat and bring sauce to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and let simmer until the sauce has thickened. Stir in basil and set sauce aside.

3. Meanwhile bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt and drop in the pasta all at once, stirring well.

4. When the pasta is almost done, return the skillet with the sauce to a medium heat. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss it with the sauce, adding the grated cheese and tossing again. Place the pasta in a serving platter and top with the crumbled goat cheese. Serve at once.

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LINGUINE PESCATORE (OF THE SEA)
Greg Gotham/ Carrabba's Italian Grill
Tuesday, June 20, 2000 - Recipe #2520

3 shrimp (21- 25 per pound size)
3 scallops (10- 20 per pound size)
6 - 8 mussels
10 oz jar of marinara or tomato sauce of your choice
12 oz of cooked linguine
salt and white pepper to taste

Cook the above over medium heat in a covered saute pan until done. Toss with 12 ounces of cooked linguini. Garnish and serve. Makes one order.

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CARRABBA'S MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE SAUCE
Source: San Antonio Express News
Carrabba's Italian Grill is a popular chain of restaurants many are found in Texas. Their faire is similar to Macaroni Grill.
Makes 2 servings

4 cups mussels
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
2 Tbsp. pernod (licorice- flavored liqueur from France)
1 to 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup Lemon Butter Sauce (recipe follows)

Soak mussels in cold water for several minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush and remove "beard" (the little tuft of fibers protruding from the shell), either with a sharp knife or by pulling on it with a damp cloth. Rinse mussels again in cold water. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch skillet; add mussels. Cover with another 10-inch skillet or lid and cook until shells begin to open, about 2 minutes. Remove top and add onion and garlic and toss. Cover pan again and cook for 1 minute. Remove top and add pernod, basil, lemon juice and lemon butter sauce. Return to flame for 30 to 45 seconds with top off skillet. Discard any mussels that did not open. Serve in a deep bowl.

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE:
2 Tbsp. clarified butter (you'll need about 1/2 stick butter; directions follow)
2 Tbsp. finely chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. dry white wine
Kosher salt
White pepper
2 Tbsp. cold butter

To clarify butter:
Melt 1/2 stick butter over low heat. When melted, remove from heat and set aside for several minutes to allow the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Skim the clear (clarified) butter from the top and discard sediment. (This can be done ahead.)

To make sauce:
Heat clarified butter, add onion and garlic and saute until transparent. Add lemon juice and white wine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes to reduce liquid. Remove from heat and swirl in cold butter until sauce is smooth and emulsified.

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CARRABBA'S PAPPARDELLE CAMPAGNOLO
Yield 4 Entrees or 6 Appetizers

1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound Italian sausage
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, 1/4-inch julienne
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes (with their juice, finely chopped)
pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper
2 tbs freshly torn basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated, pecorino romano cheese
4 ounces goat cheese (crumbled)
1 pound papardelle pasta

1. Remove sausage from the casing and break into coarse pieces (about 5-6 pieces from each link). Put olive oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Add sausage and cook until the sausage has browned slightly. Add onion and red bell peppers and cook until they soften and onion turns a rich golden color. Add the wine and let evaporate for 3 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more.

2. Add the tomatoes and season lightly with salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Raise heat and bring sauce to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and let simmer until the sauce has thickened. Stir in basil and set sauce aside.

3. Meanwhile bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add 1 tablespoon of salt and drop in the pasta all at once, stirring well.

4. When the pasta is almost done, return the skillet with the sauce to a medium heat. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss it with the sauce, adding the grated cheese and tossing again. Place the pasta in a serving platter and top with the crumbled goat cheese. Serve at once.

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CARRABBA'S PARMESAN DRESSING
Makes 3/4 cup

1/4 cup Milk
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp White wine vinegar
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Gradually blend milk into mayonnaise. Mix in cheese, vinegar and worcestershire sauce. Chill. Serve on tossed salad greens or on a "meaty" chef salad.