Tag Archives: Recipes

Try Something Different This Easter – Nigella’s Ham in Cola

Posted on April 19, 2011 | 1 comment

For the Easter holiday this year I wanted to come up with something unique and when I found this recipe by one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Nigella Lawson, I simply could not resist. The fact that she uses an entire 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola is certainly an indulgence considering my usual avoidance of sugar but hey, isn’t indulgence what holidays are all about?

After reading Nigella’s very fitting introduction I thought I would give it a try.

Aside from changing the language to suit a U.S. kitchen I altered the recipe only very slightly; turning the ham halfway through braising to create an even “burnish” from the cola, and placing the cloves strategically so that a little more flavor would soak into the ham. For more even cooking I would also recommend starting with a (close to) room temperature ham.

I also tried to describe the scoring a little better…it’s basically just lines drawn on the surface with a knife in roughly a diamond pattern. This scoring allows the fat to baste the ham while baking keeping it nice and moist. Don’t let the scoring scare you…it does not have to be perfect…mine certainly wasn’t!

On the day that I cooked this ham I made the mistake of discarding the cola after removing the ham from the pot. Although the ham turned out wonderfully flavorful and moist, in retrospect I would like to have tried reducing (boiling down) some of that sweet and spicy liquid until thick and then drizzling it over the sliced ham for both a fancier presentation and added flavor. Do try that…I know I will next time around.

Nigella’s Ham in Cola

For the braise…

1 – 4 to 5 pound, lower sodium ham, bone in
1 – 2 Liter bottle of Coca Cola
1 – Large Onion, halved and sliced

For the glaze…

12 (or more) whole cloves
1 to 2 Tablespoons – Dark molasses
2 Teaspoons – Mustard powder
2 Tablespoons – Light brown sugar

Place the ham, and sliced onions into a large stew pot or Dutch oven. Pour the entire bottle of Coca-Cola over all and bring to a light boil over medium-high heat. When the cola reaches a boil, lower the heat, cover, and maintain a gentle simmer for 2-1/2 hours carefully turning the ham over at the halfway point. Remove the ham after 2-1/2 hours and place on a cookie sheet to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees.

When the ham has cooled just to the point that you can work with it, trim away the skin and most of the fat from the outside, leaving just the slightest layer of fat. Carefully score the ham, slicing 1/8 to ¼ inch deep diagonal score lines around the outside every inch or so. Then turn the ham and slice score lines in the opposite direction, forming a diamond pattern as the scored lines intersect.

Massage the outside of the ham with enough molasses to create a nice glaze then carefully and evenly distribute first the mustard powder, then the brown sugar over that. Poke whole cloves into the ham at the points where the score lines intersect so that they are snugly seated and will not fall out. Bake the ham uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the glaze has become sufficiently browned and bubbly. Remove the ham from the oven and rest until cool enough to slice.

Of note from Nigella:  “for braising the ham in advance and then letting the ham cool, take ham from the refrigerator, glaze it according to the recipe, and give it 30 to 40 minutes to sit at room temperature. Place in a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, then turning up the heat if you think it needs a more crispy exterior.”

Enjoy,

Randy

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Turkey Croquettes with Pan Gravy

Posted on April 13, 2011 | 3 comments

Making the salmon cakes last week brought another old favorite to mind, Turkey Croquettes. The original recipe called for making the gravy with cream of celery soup and although I was tempted I opted for cleaning this one up a little bit and making it fresh. The recipe looks involved but I would honestly consider it intermediate to easy. That reminds me that I have been meaning to mention one of my favorite kitchen tips.

Kitchen Tips: To boost your confidence a little it is always a good idea to read a recipe through start to finish at least once if not twice before you begin preparing it.

Speaking of cleaning it up a friend mentioned possibly converting this recipe into an Atkins Diet version and I think it would be fairly easy to do. For a lower carb gravy you could 1) use almond flour instead of whole wheat flour or 2) eliminate the flour altogether and simply thicken the gravy by boiling it a little longer and allowing the broth time to reduce.

For the croquettes my first thought was simply to eliminate the bread crumbs but that might result in too dense of a croquette. One of the things I really like about this recipe is the lightness of the final product so I think I would prefer to use a cup pork rind crumbs instead of completely doing away with the filler. I know that may sound like an odd substitution but I have tried it in other (low carb) recipes and it works quite well for this type of diet.

Notes: The easiest way that I have found to form these croquettes is to use the lid from a Ball mason jar as a ring mold. To do this, simply set the removable “top” of the mason jar lid aside and lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the ring shaped threaded part of the lid. Now, with the lid sitting top-down on a flat surface use a wooden spoon to press in just enough of the turkey mixture to fill the lid completely, flatten and level off the top, then turn the lid over to gently pop out your formed patty.

Turkey Croquettes with Pan Gravy

For the patties…

1.25 Lbs – Lean ground Turkey
1 Cup – Soft breadcrumbs
1 – Small onion, diced small
1 – Large branch of celery, diced small
1 – Small carrot, grated
1 – Small clove of garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp – Tomato paste
1 Splash – Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Cup – Chicken stock
1 – Egg, lightly beaten
½ Tsp – Dried tarragon
½ Tsp – Rubbed sage
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil

For the gravy…

2 Tbsp – Whole Wheat flour
2 Cups – Chicken stock
1 Tbsp – Plain yogurt

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot for two minutes then add the tarragon, sage, and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Continue cooking stirring occasionally until the onions begin to turn translucent then stir in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in ½ cup of chicken stock and the minced garlic then allow the mixture to cook until most all of the moisture has evaporated, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl gently break apart the ground turkey then fold in the breadcrumbs, egg, and the onion mixture. Gently fold the mixture until all the ingredients are incorporated but not over-mixed. Form the mixture into 10 to 12 equally sized patties and placing them on a foil or wax paper lined cookie sheet as you go. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for at least 10 – 15 minutes to firm up the patties before browning.

In the same pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and warm over medium heat until the oil is shimmering hot. Swirl the pan to evenly distribute the oil then gently place half of the patties (do not crowd) in the pan. Shake the pan a little to prevent sticking and brown 3 to 4 minutes on each side. When the patties are browned remove them from the pan and place on a cooling rack or paper towel to hold. Wipe the pan and repeat this process until all of the patties are browned. Do not wipe the pan after the last batch saving the oil and browned bits for the gravy.

After the last batch of patties are browned and removed from the pan add two tablespoons of whole wheat flour to the pan and stir to create a roux. There should be just enough oil and flour to create a smooth, almost liquid, paste; add a little more olive oil if the roux seems too dry. Cook, stirring until the flour begins to take on some color, about 5 minutes, then whisk in 1 cup of the broth. When the first cup of broth is incorporated, whisk in the second cup of broth and continue whisking slowly until the gravy begins to boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and check the gravy for seasoning. Add kosher salt & fresh ground pepper if needed.

Return the croquettes to the pan coating each one with the gravy, then simmer 10 minutes more. Serve croquettes over rice, egg noodles, or toast points as desired.

Enjoy!

Randy

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Menu – Restaurant Style Greek Roasted Game Hens with Fingerling Potatoes and Fennel Infused Cabbage

Posted on April 7, 2011 | 2 comments

I was recently asked to post some of my easier recipes and this is definitely one of them. With 10 minutes of prep, you can put the game hens in the oven then sit down and relax for ½ an hour. Then, by the time you slice and cook the cabbage the hens should be coming out of the oven. Viola! Your plates will look like you worked very hard but you will still have enough energy left to enjoy the compliments.

I know some of you are a little intimidated by Game Hens but they are really just little chickens. To split them just set them, breast side up, on the cutting board and take a knife or kitchen shears and carefully cut, lengthwise, through the center of the top of the bird. Once the breast is cut through you can spread open the cavity a little, sort of like a book, then cut down either side of the backbone to remove it. That’s all there is to it! You should now have two even halves.

Here is a video in case you need a little more help:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwyB_HDk8MM

You can cook these hens whole but for this recipe I think they cook through better, and present better, when cut in halves before cooking. If you are still hesitant, this recipe would work fine with a smaller chicken cut into quarters. I do recommend you give these little hens a try though; they are easy to work with, tender and delicious, and very impressive looking on the plate. (They will think you slaved for hours!)

Notes: For the cabbage, I like to let it cook without stirring for more than 5 minutes at a time. This allows the cabbage to brown a little and makes it taste almost like it was griddled on a restaurant flattop. Just be sure to shake the pan at least every 5 minutes to make sure it doesn’t get too brown.

Greek Roasted Game Hens with Fingerling Potatoes

2 – Rock Cornish Hens, split into 4 halves, rinsed and patted dry
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ Cup – Olive oil
¼ Cup – Fresh parsley, chopped
½ Tbsp – Dried oregano
1 Clove – Garlic, minced very fine
¼ Tsp each – Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
1/2 Lb – Fingerling potatoes, about 8 or 10 total, rinsed and dried
1 – Spring fresh rosemary

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the lemon juice, parsley, oregano, garlic, and salt & pepper in a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk the olive oil slowly into the bowl until all of the oil is added then continue whisking until the liquid begins to thicken. Dredge each Cornish hen half in the liquid rubbing carefully with your hands to cover all sides. Place the hens in a 9” X 13” glass baking dish.

Dredge the potatoes in the remaining liquid and distribute them around and in-between the Cornish hens. Drizzle or sprinkle any remaining liquid or herbs over the hens and add sprinkle more of salt & pepper if desired. Place in the oven and bake 1 hour.

Carefully remove and allow to rest 15 minutes before serving with cabbage.

Fennel Infused Pan-Sauteed Cabbage

½ Head – Cabbage, halved lengthwise then sliced crosswise in ½” increments
1 – Small white onion, halved & sliced
1 Clove – Garlic, minced
½ Tbsp – Whole dried fennel seeds
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering hot. Saute the onions and garlic for about 1 minute before adding the remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until cabbage is just tender through and through…about 20 minutes. Set aside until the hens are finished then serve the cabbage as a bed on the plate, with Cornish hens placed on top.

Enjoy,

Randy

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Mmm…Pork! Country Style Pork Ribs with Tomatoes & Red Wine

Posted on April 3, 2011 | 2 comments

Count me among the many meat-eaters that love pork…the flavors, the succulence, the aroma as it cooks…I do love a good hunk of pork! And is it really all that bad for you? The recently shelved “other white meat” campaign would have had us believe it is no worse for you than chicken. While it’s true, there can be about the same amount of fat as chicken, there can also be a significant amount of calories from fat depending on the cut.

In my wiser years I have naturally become more conscious of my eating habits. I hardly ever eat bacon anymore and practice moderation when it comes to all things pork. Believe it or not, I only cook pork twice, maybe three times a month. Even so, the reason it shows up on my blog quite often is because it is indeed one of my favorite things!

While I do make a habit of choosing the leaner cuts, country style pork ribs generally isn’t one of them. I think I actually got a little giddy when I found these nicely lean boneless ribs at Aldi last week. I picked them up and excitedly anticipated giving them a try. With the long cooking of the braise they came out wonderfully tender, had only a little line of fat along one edge and the flavor was chock full of porky goodness!

I have discovered that grating the garlic on a microplane creates an intensely garlicky flavor, so much so that I only used about half the garlic I used to use. Speaking of flavor, the browning in this recipe gives it a nice head start and the tomatoes and the wine contribute to both flavor and tenderness. Lastly, covering the pan with foil creates an extra good seal to prevent moisture loss and helps retain all that good flavor.

I served this dish over spinach pappardelle; the wide noodles did a good job of collecting all that sumptuous sauce. You could also use egg noodles, ziti, or rigatoni.

Country Style Pork Ribs with Tomatoes & Red Wine

4 to 6 – Boneless country style pork ribs
1 – 28 Ounce can whole tomatoes including juice
½ Cup – Dry red wine
1 – Small Onion, diced
1 – Branch of celery, diced
1 – Medium carrot, grated
1 – Clove of garlic, very finely minced
1 – Sprig fresh rosemary
½ tsp. each – dried oregano, dried thyme
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat until almost smoking. Season the ribs well on both sides with kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper and sear until well browned on all sides (about 10 minutes over all). Set ribs on a plate to return to the pan later.

Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and herbs to the same pan and cook stirring often until the onions become transparent, about 6-8 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and stir to loosen any browned bits. When the wine has reached a rapid boil add the tomatoes and the juice from the can, gently crushing them as you add them to the pan.

Return the pork to the pan nestling the ribs into the sauce, bring to a light boil then cover the Dutch oven or pan with aluminum foil. Place the lid on the pan pressing to seal it well then flatten the foil around the sides. Bake 1-1/2 hours and allow 15 minutes rest before serving. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy,

Randy

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Using Leftover Turkey – Shepherds Pot Pie

Posted on April 1, 2011 | Leave a comment

Photo by KathyHuntPhoto.com

In one of my last posts I talked about all the stuff I’d been doing with leftover turkey, then, I posted a recipe for pork. Surprise! I got a few emails asking for the turkey recipes I had mentioned. Since I didn’t have pictures of those I thought I would use a little more of that turkey last night. Even after making this one, would you believe I still have more turkey in the freezer? Wow, I do love making good use of those leftovers!

This is sort of a fusion recipe; a pot pie filling with a shepherd’s pie topping. All of the ingredients are fresh and honestly, with the exception of a couple of recipes my daughters will never let me quit cooking, I doubt I could ever go back to making casseroles with frozen veggies and canned soups! When you take that first bite of good fresh food the wholesomeness is immediately apparent…the richness of the leeks and the mushrooms, the depth of flavor in the homemade broth.

I can’t recommend enough cooking with fresh food. The payoff in enjoyment (not to mention compliments) is almost as nice as the health benefits!

In this recipe I used my own homemade turkey stock, another great way to use leftover turkey (and bones). Chicken broth would work almost as well as would leftover chicken. The idea behind cooking the mushrooms in this way is to get the pan just hot enough so that the juices exude and evaporate very quickly, rather than pooling in the pan. As the liquid evaporates it leaves lots of flavor behind. Then as the mushrooms begin to caramelize, they will be at the peak of their flavor.

Yes, I do use a little butter here; I think it adds richness to the potatoes and a polish to the sauce. I honestly feel there is no harm in using butter as long as it is used in moderation. If you think about it in terms of, two tablespoons of butter in a dish of 10 – 12 servings, it actually works out to very little fat per serving. Just enough in fact that I didn’t miss the whole milk (or cream) that I used to use in mashed potatoes. As the potatoes come together the goal is a fluffy creaminess with still a little stiffness…too much liquid would result in a watery final dish.

Start to finish the dish took a little over an hour to prepare…40 minutes prep work and 30 in the oven. This one is definitely good enough for company as the friend that came to dinner simply couldn’t stop eating it. It was, for sure, a great way to use up a little more of that leftover turkey!

Shepherd’s Pot Pie

For the filling…

2 Cups – Cooked Turkey, cut in roughly ½” cubes
2 Cups – Good stock
2 Cups – Leeks (white part only) quartered lengthwise, rinsed well then sliced
8 oz – Button mushrooms, quartered (approx 2 cups)
1 Cup – Celery, diced large
1 Cup – Carrots, diced large
3 Tbsp – Unbleached all purpose flour
2 Tbsp – Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
½ tsp – Rubbed sage
½ tsp – Dried marjoram
½ tsp – Dried thyme
2 tbsp – Olive oil
1 tbsp – Unsalted butter
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

For the topping…

5 large – Red potatoes, quartered lenthwise the cut into (approx) 1” chunks
1 Cup – Low fat cultured buttermilk
½ Cup – Fat free plain yogurt
1 Tbsp – Unsalted butter
One sprinkling – Paprika

Kosher salt

Place the potatoes into a large saucepan or soup pot and add enough water to cover. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and bring to a boil over medium high heat. When the water is boiling reduce the heat to medium and cook until fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking…

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. When the pan is nice and hot add the olive oil and swirl in the pan to distribute. Add the mushroom and sage and cook stirring frequently until the liquid has cooked out of the mushrooms and they are showing signs of browning. Then, add the leeks, carrots, and celery to the pan along with several good grinds of pepper, the marjoram, and the thyme. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often until the celery is tender-crisp.

Stir the Turkey into the pan along with 1 Tbsp of butter and cook, stirring, until the butter has melted. Stir in the flour and cook two minutes more stirring gently to incorporate. Stir in the broth being sure to loosen any browned bits that have stuck to the pan. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer and thicken, stirring only occasionally, while you prepare the mashed potatoes.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°.

When the potatoes are fork tender carefully pour into a colander or sieve to drain. Allow the potatoes to sit for 5 minutes to allow the steam to dry the potatoes before returning them to the cooking pot. Crush the potatoes slightly then add ¾ of the buttermilk and the yogurt. Mash well with a potato masher (or mixture) until well mashed. Add the butter and the remaining buttermilk and continue mashing until your desired consistency is reached. Taste the potatoes and season with salt if needed.

Stir the turkey mixture once more, stirring in the fresh parsley. Taste the mixture to check the seasonings, add salt & pepper if needed, then pour evenly into a 9 X 13 baking dish. Top the turkey mixture evenly with approx. ½” thickness of the mashed potatoes using the back of a spoon to even out the surface. Sprinkle the top with a little paprika then bake 30 minutes. Rest 10 minutes and serve, garnishing each plate with a little more fresh chopped parsley.

Enjoy,

Randy

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By Special Request – Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole

Posted on March 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

For my Daughters and their Mom…by special request. This is my mom’s famous (among family and friends) Sweet Potato Casserole. The recipe is in her words.

Of note: The sweet potatoes are first brought to a boil in plain water, then simmered until quite tender . She usually peel them after cooking when they had cooled enough to handle. The butter in the potato mixture was pre- melted.

Also for the topping, She usually used pecans. The butter was melted first in a 10” cast iron skillet, then the nuts, brown sugar, and flour were stirred in until well melted and mixed.

Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole

8 – Med sweet potatoes
1/3 Cup – Maple syrup
¼ Cup – Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp – Vanilla
2 Tbsp – Butter

Mix all the above with mixer or food processor (Careful not to over-process)

Spread mixture in buttered baking dish

Topping

1 Cup – Chopped nuts
½ Cup – Brown sugar
½ Cup – Flour
½ Cup – Butter

Melt butter, add the above and mix well. Spread over sweet potatoes.

Bake at 350° 25 – 30 minutes until bubbly around the edges.

Serves 8 – 10

Enjoy,

Randy

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“Absolut” Fish: Pan-Seared Fish with Vodka Lime Butter Sauce, Capers and Fresh Dill

Posted on March 18, 2011 | 2 comments

Photo by KathyHuntPhoto.com

This has long been one of my favorite fish recipes. I love the taste of the lime and the capers and the vodka is always an interesting ingredient; together these flavors compliment the fish perfectly. The fresh dill brings a nice finishing touch by adding a fresh bite as well as an attractive visual component. Once you’ve had a little practice it only takes 10 minutes or so to prepare and it’s an impressive and tasty enough dish for company.

Pan-Searing 101

There is really nothing complicated about pan-searing. You may have noticed already, I use the technique a lot. It really is a very convenient way to cook fillets, steaks, or chops when you don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen. What makes pan-searing even more appealing to me is the browning really gives whatever you are cooking a real boost of flavor. Called the Maillard Reaction, this crust of caramelized goodness is the secret behind many delicious restaurant dishes.

With just a couple of key things in mind most anyone can use the pan-searing method, in most any kitchen…

Moisture prevents browning – You will often hear me preach about getting the surface of your fish (or any other protein) dry before searing it. When pan-searing it’s especially important to remember that moisture will inhibit browning. Oil on the other hand promotes browning.

How hot is hot? – Ok, as well as I can describe it; when you heat a pan and add olive oil, then leave the oil to get hot, there is a point just before the oil begins to smoke. At this point the molecules in the oil have loosened or thinned about as much as they are going to and the surface of the oil takes on a shimmering look. That is the right heat for pan-searing.

Wow! That’s really hot! – Always remember: you can move that pan off the fire. Any time you feel your pan might be getting too hot the first step is to simply move it off the burner. Never panic! Be careful and be confident.

Notes: Firm white fish is ready when the fish flakes easily with a fork and the flesh in the center is almost solid white showing very little if any transparency. Remember, fish will continue cooking for a minute or two after you remove it from the heat so be careful not to overcook it. Depending on the thickness of your fillets it should take no longer than 5 to 7 minutes in the oven to finish cooking through.

Side notes: Yes, this recipe contains butter…possibly as much a 1 tablespoon (or pat) per serving which if you think about it really isn’t that much. Once in a blue moon I do allow myself the pleasure and I hope you will too!

Pan-Seared Fish with Vodka Lime Butter Sauce, Capers and Fresh Dill

2 to 4 – (6 Ounce) Firm white fish fillets at least 1” thick. (Such as Mahi-Mahi, Grouper, or Halibut)
¼ Cup – Premium vodka, unflavored
1 Ounce – Fresh squeezed lime juice
2 Tbsp – capers
2 Sprigs – Fresh dill
4 Tbsp – Butter, well chilled, cut into 16 equal cubes
Olive Oil
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400 and use a paper towel to dab the fish to dry it very well. Season both sides with salt & pepper then heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Swirl the pan to evenly coat the cooking surface and carefully place the fish, skin side up / flesh side down, in the pan. Cook 3 minutes (without moving) then gently turn over and cook 3 minutes more. Carefully remove the fish to an oven-proof dish and place it in the oven to finish cooking through.

While the pan is still hot, pour out any excess oil and with the pan still off the heat add the lime juice. Swirl the sizzling juice for about 30 seconds then add the vodka and return the pan to the heat. Simmer, swirling the pan from time to time until the liquid begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Add 4 of the butter cubes and swirl the pan as they melt.

Reduce the heat to medium and when the first 4 cubes of butter have melted swirl or whisk in 4 more while alternately moving the pan on and off the heat. (Note: The pan should stay hot enough to keep the butter melting but not so hot that the butter burns or separates from the sauce.) When the butter has melted, add the capers along with 4 more butter cubes. Continue gently whisking as the butter melts, finish the sauce by melting the last 4 cubes of butter and set the pan off the heat while you plate the fish.

The fish should be done about the same time as the sauce. Check to make sure the fillets have cooked through, leaving it a little longer if necessary. Carefully (it’s hot!) remove the fish from the oven and place each fillet on a plate. Spoon some of the sauce and the capers over each fillet then use a pair of kitchen shears or scissors to snip a sprinkling of fresh dill over each serving. Serve with a little sprig of dill and a slice of lime on the side.

Enjoy,

Randy


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Weeknight Corned Beef Hash

Posted on March 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

http://www.flickr.com/photos/randy_lay/5513237025/

My mom used to make corned beef hash with poached eggs every now and then, always for supper. It was one of my favorite things in the world and to this day it is most definitely comfort food! I’m also fairly certain  that she is responsible for my current fondness for breakfast at dinnertime. This past weekend, not long after the corned beef brisket went into the oven and the house began to fill with that familiar aroma, my thoughts were again with her. I daydreamed of those evenings long past when I would rub my hands in anticipation of her wonderful meals.

As my sister and I were growing up mom cooked with love and she cooked with flavor and even though it was always with a nod to a tight budget, holy cow was it ever good! It is interesting to me how many of my current favorite dishes, and many that you’ll now see celebrity chefs cooking on TV, have their roots in such simple budget cooking.

Was the food of our youth so good because of the long cooking necessary to make the tougher cuts palatable?  Are the flavors that developed out of these techniques what makes meat loaves, chicken pot pies, stews and braises so popular even today? Or is it that these foods were prepared with so much love by so many of our moms that it touches our souls even today?

The brisket last Sunday was a small one and though I do love leftover corned beef on rye, I squirreled the leftovers away because there was just enough for a batch of my weeknight corned beef hash. This is a simple, peasant style recipe that I can make no claim to as it has been cooked for so long by so many. I only wish my mom lived a little closer so that I could have shared it with her.

Notes: It is not necessary to use leftover vegetables. If you do use fresh, pre-cook the potatoes by blanching the cubed potatoes until tender then drain and gently pat them dry. (Remember…the dryer you get them the better because moisture inhibits browning!) Optionally you may also use 1 cup of the leftover cabbage. Be sure to take a look at this Poached Egg video for a really simple way to poach an egg.

Weeknight Corned Beef Hash

2 Cups – Leftover Corned Beef Brisket, cubed, shredded, or chopped
2 Cups – Leftover cooked red bliss potatoes, cut in ¼” cubes
1-1/2 – Leftover cooked onions, cut in ¼ to ½ inch dice
1 Clove – Garlic, minced
¼ Tbsp. – Dried thyme
¼ Tbsp. – Fresh ground black pepper
1 Sprig – Fresh rosemary
1 Poached Egg per serving
Olive Oil

Warm 2 tablespoons of oil In a large pan over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering add the garlic, thyme, and black pepper and cook stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions have just begun to brown.

Stir in the potatoes and lower the heat to medium. When potatoes are hot; stir in the corned beef and the rosemary. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally, until potatoes and beef have browned and formed a desirable crust, about 10 minutes more. Remove the rosemary and discard before serving.

Serve topped with a freshly poached egg.

Enjoy,

Randy

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Scallops Two Ways: Pan-Seared with Grand Marnier Reduction Sauce and Pan-Fried Crusted with Panko and Orange

Posted on March 6, 2011 | 2 comments

We decided to stay in last night and being that it was Saturday night I was in the mood for something a little special. After futzing around the house all day, the afternoon kind of snuck by and before I knew it, once again, it was too late to cook any long-cooking recipes. Seafood is a favorite when I don’t have a lot of time and scallops seemed like just the ticket for a nice dinner for two.

It is nearly impossible here in South Florida to find fresh sea scallops. Even when you find them at the fishmongers, scallops are often previously frozen or, even worse, wet-packed! I know I have written about this before but it bears mentioning again. Wet packed and even some frozen scallops (and shrimp) are soaked in a chemical solution called Sodium triphosphate or STP that ruins the flavor and texture. Take my word for it…you do not want to feed STP to your loved-ones! I always recommend IQF or “Individually Quick Frozen” scallops.

Thankfully, any time seafood is treated with STP it must be stated on the packaging and/or included in the ingredients. I visited our local BJ’s and picked up a nice two pound bag of IQF Sea Scallops. I’ve bought these here before but I always check the label and was pleased to find “Ingredients: Scallops” on this one. The two pound package should last Kat and I two, possibly three meals. So while scallops are a special treat for us, I don’t really consider them a splurge.

One of my favorite things to do when cooking shrimp or scallops is to prepare them 2, sometimes even 3 different ways, usually with a common thread tying the flavors together. I do this because, for me anyway, it makes the dinner seem especially nice…like something you might have at a restaurant. My common thread ingredient for this dinner was oranges. I have been on something of an orange kick lately and it’s a flavor that I think really compliments scallops. I am including both recipes here, either one would be a fine entrée (or appetizer) on its own.

I served these with leeks braised in white wine with orange rind and simple Old Bay seasoned and roasted Yukon potato medallions.

Pan-Seared Scallops with Grand Marnier Reduction Sauce

Recipe notes: This sauce is super concentrated and intensely flavorful. I would have preferred a little less sauce on the scallops pictured above. Plan on 3 scallops per person for an appetizer or a “Two Ways” entrée; use 6 per person if this will be your entrée.

3 to 6 – Medium scallops per person
¼ Cup – Grand Marnier
½ Cup – Fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp. – Butter, cubed into 8 pieces and kept very cold
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
Fresh Orange zest to garnish
Olive Oil

Prepare scallops by removing the tough adductor muscle from the side of the larger adductor muscle ( “see here” ) then pat them very dry using a paper towel. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt & ground pepper.

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. When oil is shimmering and just beginning to smoke carefully, one at a time, set the scallops into the pan. Sear the scallops without touching them until some browning becomes apparent around the edges, about two minutes. Turn them gently over and sear two minutes more or until scallops are cooked nearly through. (If you cut into one the center should still be a little translucent). Remove the scallops to a plate and cover to keep warm.

To the same pan add the orange juice and boil until the juice becomes syrupy and reduces to about three tablespoons. Remove the pan from heat, add the Grand Marnier and place back on heat. Cook, stirring or swirling occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to about 4 tablespoons. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter cubes 2 or 3 at a time. Continue stirring, adding more cubes as the butter melts and becomes incorporated until all butter has been added. The sauce should now be the right consistency for serving.

To serve place the scallops on your serving plates and drizzle a tiny bit of the sauce over each. Garnish each scallop with a pinch of orange zest and serve.

Pan-Fried Scallops Crusted with Panko and Orange Zest

Recipe Notes: The orange zest in the crust caramelizes quickly and turns a deep brown. Don’t worry! As long as you do not over-brown the crust it does not burn. Actually, I really liked the deep orangey flavor the caramelized zest gives the crust. The Grand Marnier sauce from the above recipe was good on these…just don’t use too much! Plan on 3 scallops per person for an appetizer or a “Two Ways” entrée; use 6 per person if this will be your entrée.

3 to 6 – Medium scallops per person
1-1/2 Cups – Panko crumbs
½ Cup – Whole Wheat or Unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Egg – Lightly beaten with 2 Tbsp. of water
Zest of one large orange (about 2 Tbsp.)
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
Canola and Olive Oil

Prepare scallops by removing the tough adductor muscle from the side of the larger adductor muscle ( “see here” ) then pat them very dry using a paper towel. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt & ground pepper.

In a small bowl combine the panko crumbs and orange zest, tossing to mix. Mix egg wash in another small bowl and place the flour in another. Dust the scallops first in the flour, then dredge in the egg wash, then toss them in the crumb mixture. Set crusted scallops on a plate and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Warm about 1/4 inch deep of 2 parts canola oil to one part olive oil in a med pan over medium heat. Allow oil to heat thoroughly before cooking the scallops. (Oil should measure 350 to 375 with a probe thermometer. When ready, a bread cube dropped into the pan should “boil” immediately and begin browning in about 1 minute.)

When your oil is hot, carefully place scallops, one by one, into the pan. Cook about two minutes, or until browning can be seen around the edges, turn and cook two minutes more. When golden brown (orange zest will be darker) remove the scallops from the pan to a paper towel or food rack to rest for about a minute.

Serve immediately with a little of the Grand Marnier reduction on the side.

Enjoy,

Randy

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Fusion Recipe: Orange Beef with Rosemary Soy Sauce

Posted on March 1, 2011 | Leave a comment

Photo by Kathy

Much like our crock pot, the pressure cooker spends most of the time collecting dust on the bottom shelf of the bakers rack. And, also like the crock pot, every time I use our pressure cooker I end up saying “Man, I love this thing!” Invariably, I make a mental note vowing to use the pressure cooker more often. Considering how this dinner turned out…perhaps it’s time I kept one of those little promises to myself.

Some of my favorite and most beloved comfort foods are stews and braised dishes which are for the most part cooked long and slow. Not exactly weeknight fare if you will. But the pressure cooker brings it all within reach. This dish, prepared traditionally, could take as long as 4 hours to cook; on this night, thanks to the pressure cooker, dinner was on the table in just over an hour. Yep, that’s right; I made this on a Tuesday evening after work in a little more than an hour!

If you are unfamiliar with pressure cooking, there are some great articles on the web with two of my favorite sites being Miss Vickie’s and Fabulous Foods . As a bonus (much like braising) it is claimed that pressure cooking destroys far fewer nutrients than other cooking methods making it a healthy addition to your kitchen arsenal. If you do not own a pressure cooker, by all means start reading up on them…they are safe, convenient and I simply cannot recommend this cooking method enough!

Because pressure cooking happens so fast there is not always time for flavor to develop. To counter this trend I started this recipe cooking hot, almost like a stir fry, because I wanted to build up as much flavor as possible before putting on the lid. I call this recipe a fusion because I used red wine and rosemary which are not typical in an Asian style stew. As an afterthought, a few orange peels would also bump up the “citrusy” flavor and speaking of flavor, feel free to add a little more sriracha if you like things spicy.

I still had a bunch of fresh kale around so I served this stew simply spooned over quick braised kale with a little ginger, garlic, lower sodium soy sauce and a splash of water. Also I will include notes below for a traditional braise for those of you who will not be using a pressure cooker. P.S. If you go out and get one I promise to use my pressure cooker again before it has the time to gather that coat of dust!

Orange Beef with Rosemary Soy Sauce

1-1/2 Pounds – Beef chuck, trimmed and cut into roughly 1” cubes
1 – Medium Onion, halved lengthwise then sliced lengthwise
1 – Medium Daikon radish, peeled and cut into large cubes (the Daikon was about the size of a large cucumber)
½ Cup plus 1/8 Cup reserved – Fresh orange juice
½ Cup – Lower sodium soy sauce
¼ Cup – Dry red wine
3 Cloves – Garlic, minced
1-1/2 Tbsp – Fresh ginger, minced
1-1/2 Tbsp – Agave nectar
2 Sprigs – Fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp – Fish sauce
1 Tbsp – Corn Starch
½ Tbsp – Sriracha (Chinese red pepper sauce)
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Sesame oil
Olive oil
Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

In an uncovered pressure cooker over medium high heat, warm 1-1/2 Tbsp each of Sesame and Olive oil until shimmering. When the oil is quite hot, add the beef cubes and cook, stirring often, until any exuded liquid has evaporated and some browning has occurred. Add the onions and agave nectar to the beef and continue cooking and stirring about 1 minute before adding the garlic and ginger. Allow this to cook, while still stirring often, until the onions are transparent.

When the onions have become transparent stir in the red wine and as this comes to a boil, scrape up any browned bits that may have stuck to the cooking surface. Add all remaining liquid ingredients, the daikon radish cubes and the rosemary (leaving the reserved orange juice aside). Stir gently to mix the ingredients, and then lock on the lid to the pressure cooker.

Leave the heat on medium high until the pressure has reached optimal cooking pressure, then lower the heat to medium low. Cook 30 minutes while monitoring pressure, lowering or raising heat marginally as needed to maintain optimal pressure. After 30 minutes remove the pressure cooker from heat and allow it to cool naturally until the pressure falls to zero.

When the cooker is safe to open, carefully remove most of the stewed solids to a large serving bowl using a spider skimmer or a slotted spoon, leaving the sauce in the cooker. Return the cooker to heat and bring to a boil over medium high heat once more. In a small bowl, whisk the reserved orange juice and the corn starch together to form a slurry before stirring it immediately into the sauce. Continue stirring until the sauce returns to a boil and thickens slightly.

When the sauce has thickened, very gently fold the sauce back into the stew. Serve over brown rice, braised greens, or quinoa and garnish, if desired, with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Note: For a traditional braise follow the recipe to the point where the pressure cooker is closed (using a heavy bottomed Dutch oven rather than a pressure cooker). Cover the Dutch oven with a layer of aluminum foil, then a heavy lid and bake in a 325 degree oven for 1-1/2 hours. Check for doneness, re-cover and bake 30 minutes more if necessary. Then follow the recipe from the point at which the pressure cooker is opened.

Enjoy,

Randy

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