Browning

When I posted the Veal Stew/Paprikash recipe in January 2011,  I began to think about browning and whether or not to dredge the meat in flour before browning.  Julia Child's seminal recipe for Boeuf a la Bourguignonne  does not dredge the raw beef in flour. Before sauteing in hot oil and bacon fat, it instructs, "dry the beef in paper towels;  it will not brown if it is damp."* After the beef is browned, it instructs, "Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with the salt and pepper.  Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour. Set casserole uncovered in middle portion of preheated [450 degrees F] oven for 4 minutes. Toss the meat and return to the oven for 4 minutes more. (This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.)"**

However, recipes in some of my other favorite cookbooks call for dredging the meat in flour before frying, as the Veal Marsala recipe in Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins The New Basics Cookbook. Wondering if one method is preferable, I consulted Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking. He has excellent sections on Carmelization (simplest browning reaction is the carmelization of sugar which occurs at 330 degrees F and above) and The Maillard Reactions ("Even more fortunate and complex are the reactions responsible for the cooked color and flavor of bread crusts, chocolate, coffee beans, dark beers and roasted meats, all foods that are not primarily sugar."*** These reactions occur at 250 degrees F and above.  Given the high temperatures required for browning, McGee points out the browning must be done with dry cooking methods using oil rather than water which will never exceed 212 degrees F.  He concludes this section by stating:

"...one key to a rich-tasting stew is to brown the meat, vegetables and flour quite well by frying them before adding any liquid.  On the other hand, if you want to emphasize the intrinsic flavors of the foods, avoid high temperatures that create the intense but less individualized browning flavors."****

However, he offers no opinion of how to brown these ingredients.  This advice comes later in Keys to Good Cooking A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes where McGee writes, " Dry food surfaces, or coat in flour or breading to minimize spatter and sticking and speed browning.  Coatings prevent the food surface itself from browning, but add crunch and flavor."*****
As evidenced in the variation in of some of my favorite recipes, either browning well dried meat or flour coated meat works, producing subtle differences.  I have noticed that browned flour, which I use to make Enchilada Sauce has a much more interesting flavor than  plain white flour.  For recipes which call for browning meat, dried of excess surface moisture, first and then adding flour, I would consider either using Ms. Child's two step browning:  first meat, then flour with meat or where that is not feasible, browning the flour separately. I brown  flour by heating it in a dry pan over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until it begins to turn brown. Browned flour can be made in batches and stored for several months.

In his Section on Frying, Pan Roasting and Sauteing, McGee offers another piece of very useful advice: "Preheat the pan alone to 400 to 450 degrees F/200 to 230 degrees C, then add fat or oil.  Oil heated up along with the pan is more likely to get gummy and cause sticking."******  For this type of preheating it is best not to use a nonstick pan.  When following these instructions (photo at top) I do find there is much less sticking to the pan.

*  Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961 edition), page 316
**  Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961 edition), page 316
***  On Food and Cooking, page 778
****  On Food and Cooking  page 779
*****  Keys to Good Cooking A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes, page 90
******  Keys to Good Cooking A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes, page 260

Reviewed 9/222017

Demi-Glace/Demi-Glace with Olive Oil Roux

Introducing some new items that have just found their way into my kitchen. My brother, Jason, has long used More Than Gourmet products, particularly their Demi-Glace Gold.  He gave Chris a 16 oz container of this for Christmas and me several containers of the Red Wine Sauce and White Wine Sauce. I have used some of the White Wine Sauce to make Chicken and Wild Mushrooms Supreme . In making this recipe I used 1 t fresh thyme instead of dried thyme, substituted lemon juice for cream and served over Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta instead of in pastry shells. For my taste the recipe is a bit heavy on sauce (I used 1/3 container for 10 oz of chicken) but that's what More Than Gourmet is selling.

© 2012 Chris Kern

Chris immediately used some of his Christmas present to make a mushroom-onion demi-glace which he served over a dry aged sirloin strip.  He posted photos (inculding the ones at left) on Google+ (and gave me permission to use them here). The ratio of demi-glace to hot water is 1:4 as noted on the container. Chris made the roux from flour and butter, using equal parts by weight, but it seemed too thick to him so he added more butter. Jason, the demi-glace pro's advice is, "Do it by feel".   Alexandra saw Chris's post and photos and convinced Chris to make this when we were together last week.

© 2012 Chris Kern

Prior to Chris's arrival,  I ordered the Demi-Glace Gold from Amazon Prime (didn't spring for the overpriced 1.5 ounce packages at Whole Foods and elsewhere).  When it arrived I was amazed to discover that the label lists only 0.5 g of fat per 2 t (before water is added) serving; the cholesterol comes from the butter in the roux. Chris made a demi-glace like he had made in New York and it was awesome.  I used some of the leftover demi-glace on some mashed potatoes and cod (see below) a few nights later.  It too was very tasty, and I began to ponder how I might make a healthier version of this.

© 2012 Chris Kern

For a long time I have used Stonewall Kitchen's Mushroom Sage Steak Sauce (this sauce is no longer available) with additional sauteed mushrooms to accompany steaks and with caramelized onions and mushrooms over cod. The Demi-Glace Gold would be a tasty, less expensive alternative and if I used an olive-oil roux, it also would contain no cholesterol.

Demi-Glace made with Olive Oil Roux
Serves ~2-3; scale accordingly

Whisk together, then simmer, about 6 minutes, until well mixed:

2 T Demi-Glace Gold

1/2 c hot water

In a small skillet brown

1 T flour (I used 2 T in photo above and it made way too much roux)

Stir constantly until it is slightly golden then whisk in

1 T olive oil

Whisk constantly until flour and oil are well blended, adjust quantity "to feel." Then whisk enough roux in with the demi-glace to achieve the desired thickened, smooth consistency.  Add mushrooms and/or onions if desired (see below).

© 2012 Chris Kern

Mushroom Demi-Glace

Chris sometimes complains I serve mushrooms with sauce over steak rather than mushroom sauce and admonishes, "Don't put in too many mushrooms."

When Chris made Mushroom Demi-Glace last week he used a big cup each (actually about 1 1/4 c each) of finely chopped mushrooms and onions and 1/3 c Demi-Glace Gold.  For the recipe above that would translate to

~ 1/3 c mushrooms, (I use crimini and/or shitake), chopped
~ 1/3 c onion, finely chopped

Sautee mushrooms and onions in

1 t olive oil until they are soft and onions are golden

Mix into demi-glace.

Cod with Caramelized Onions and Mushroom Demi-Glace

Follow the recipe for Cod with Carmelized Onions and Mushrooms but instead of using Stonewall Kitchen's Mushroom Sage Steak Sauce use Demi-Glace made with Olive Oil Roux (photos left and below).

Note: When using demi-glace on cod/other similar fish such as hake, I prefer to make basic demi-glace then follow instructions in cod recipe and leave onions and mushrooms in thin slices.














Reviewed  5/7/17

Beef Stroganoff

Seems like some weeks we just have "the old favorites" or the newest find (currently Mushroom Arugula Salad) over and over again.  I had broken the pattern by making New England Boiled Dinner when the markets were full of corned beef and cabbage for Saint Patrick's Day and had sour cream left from the sauce.  It occurred to me that I had not made Beef Stroganoff in a very long time.  I remember Ed's Mom (Florence Pfalzgraf, "Grandmother Up-Down" to Alex and Chris) making this from part of the huge steaks she got from William's Market.  I looked for her recipe, which I was unable to find (still looking), so I winged it (using less beef than FPK, I'm sure):

2 Servings

Thinly slice, trimming off any fat

1/3 pound sirloin steak and dredge* in

2 T flour, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste

In a medium size skillet heat:

2 T olive oil (am sure FPK used butter)
1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced and cut in quarters
1-2 cloves garlic, minced

and cook until onion is wilted. Then add beef and cook over medium heat until meat is browned on both sides.  Then add:

1/2 c baby bella/crimini or other mushrooms, stir gently for 2 -3 minutes, then add in this order:**

1 t Hungarian sezged paprika (not sure FPK used this, maybe tomato paste and/or mustard - see below)
2 T red wine
2/3 c beef stock
1 T parsley, chopped

Stir well with a wooden spoon incorporating any loose flour (brown bits) from pan sides and bottom until sauce is smooth and mushrooms soft;  add additional stock if sauce is too thick.  Finally, add:

1/3 c sour cream.

Mix just until smooth and warm but do not bring to boil.

Serve with noodles.  Homemade would be best; I used Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta.

* (June 2011) As I read more about "browning" I am inclined to omit the dredging next time.  Brown the raw, dried beef in the oil then blend butter with flour as in the recipe below or roll the browned beef in flour, then proceed as above.  January 2013: See Browning for discussion on whether to flour meat before browning, not at all, or as Julia Child does after initial browning.  This post also notes heating pan to 400 to 450 degrees before adding oil will minimize contents sticking to the pan.

** While I successfully combined all the ingredients in one pan all at the same time, the recipes I subsequently consulted in in The New York Times Cookbook (1961edition) and The New York Times International Cookbook (1971 edition) both by Craig Clairborne cook ingredients and sauce separately.  In the former the sauce (for 1 1/2 pounds of meat "about 6 servings": 1 1/2 T butter blended with 1 T flour to which 1 c boiling consomme is added all at once followed by 1 t prepared mustard) is prepared in a separate pan, the meat, not dredged, and onions are sauteed  in butter until browned on both sides in another pan.  The meat is then removed to a hot platter, sour cream is added to the sauce and then the sauce poured over the meat.  In the recipe in the The New York Times International Cookbook, the dredged meat (1 pound, "about 6 servings") is browned in butter, then the mushrooms, onion and garlic are added and cooked for about 4 minutes then removed from the skillet and kept warm.  The sauce (2 T butter to which when melted 3 T of flour are blended then 1 T tomato paste and 1 1/4 c beef stock added) is then made in the same skillet, adding sauce ingredients to "the pan drippings". The meat is then returned to the pan containing the sauce and  1 c sour cream and 2 T dry sherry are added and the mixture heated briefly.  This latter approach might be preferable if making more than 2-3 servings.

Reviewed 5/7/17

Grass Fed Meat

© 2013 Edward C Kern, Jr.

It's not that I don't like hamburgers.... When I was at Harvard GSD I joined the guys in my class (and sometimes the one other gal) for lunch at Bartley's Burgers several times a month.   After Alexandra arrived, restaurant lunches were replaced by picnics in Harvard Yard, and subsequent stories of CAFO feedlots led me to choose a portobello burger over a standard hamburger when dining out.

When Ed and I skied Snowmass recently we found that Ullrhof, a restaurant at the base of the Big Burn (which we frequently choose for convenience rather than food), had been transformed to a "burger - shakes -  fries" stop. While  portobello and mahi mahi  burgers were options so was a locally raised grass fed beef burger;  I opted for the latter and found it quite good, cooked medium rare, and served with lettuce, onions, tomato and house dressing. I could identify with Barbara Kingsolver  (Animal, Vegetable, Mineral: A Year of Food Life ) and her family ordering hamburgers at The Farmers Diner (moved to Quechee Vermont, now closed):

"The Vermont-raised hamburger with a side of slaw, home fries, or a salad is $6.50. At any price, it's an unusual experience to order a diner burger that does not come with a side of feedlot remorse.  For our family this was quiet a little red-letter occasion, since we'd stopped eating CAFO-produced beef about ten years earlier..... In Lily's life, this was the first time we'd ever walked into a diner and ordered burgers.  Understandably, she kept throwing me glances - this is really okay?  It was."(1)

As part of writing this post I called Bartley's Burgers and was delighted  to discover that they are now serving grass fed beef.  It really is okay to go there now too.

Right after we arrived home this week I got an e-mail from Alexandra sharing an article on grass fed Oregon beef as well as a link to the website of the farm she and Dan were about to try (pork chops that night).  She reported that the chops were excellent but the pick-up location still problematic.

1  Animal, Vegetable, Mineral: A Year of Food Life, page 149

© 2013 Edward C Kern, Jr.

March 2013:  Riding up the Big Burn chairlift this month, I noticed a factoid: last year the restaurants at the Aspen Skiing Company's four mountains served "43,000 pounds of Milangro Ranch beef." The "classic" Ullrhof hamburger, shown at left and above, is actually two (for faster, more-even cooking) 2.5 ounce patties.







Reviewed 5/7/17

Veal Stew/Paprikash

Good dinner for a cold night.  Ed and I were on our way home from spending Sunday in Brooklyn with Christopher who made us awesome homemade pasta for dinner. We stopped  for a few groceries, and I asked Ed to get something for dinner.  He appeared with veal stew meat that was on special.  "You used to make something with veal", he said.  I had, but not for a very long time. We came home and I dug out my (pre-blog) recipe and revised it to reflect our changing tastes and available ingredients. I only wish I had taken the extra pasta Chris offered us; it would have been awesome with this.

Serves ~4 (We ate half and saved half for another night.)

Trim off any extra fat and cut  into smaller cubes if necessary so no cubes are larger than 3/4 to 1 inch on a side, some will likely be smaller:

1 # veal stew

Dredge* veal in:

2T flour
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat sautee pan.* Saute:

2 T olive oil (heat first, this will also help minimize sticking)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

until the garlic is browned, then add the stew beef and saute until it is browned on both sides.  Add:

1/2 c sweet onion, chopped finely
1/2 c celery, chopped finely
1/2 pound baby bella/crimini mushrooms, sliced (optional - not in my original recipe: "Hungarian Veal")

and sautee until the onion is wilted.  Add:

1/4 c dry white wine
1 t paprika (I used Hungarian Szeged)
1/4 t celery salt
1 T fresh parsley, finely chopped

Mix well then add:

2/3 c chicken stock.

Cover and simmer 45 minutes to one hour. Stir occasionally, adding more liquid if necessary. Scrape any browned flour residue off the bottom of the pan and incorporate into the sauce.

I had intended to add:

8 oz yogurt mixed with
1 T cornstarch

about 10 minutes before serving but there appeared to be enough sauce of the right consistency that I chose not to.  Next time I am going to going to use only 1/3 c of chicken stock to start, adding more if necessary, then uncover the pan and add the yogurt mix about 10 minutes before serving.

* January 2013: See Browning for discussion on whether to flour meat before browning, not at all, or as Julia Child does after initial browning.  This post also notes heating pan to 400 to 450 degrees before adding oil will minimize contents sticking to the pan.

Reviewed 5/7/17

Red Flannel Hash

This is a recipe from childhood when (leftover) roast beef was a much more common occurrence. Though technically “red flannel hash” is usually made with leftover corned beef, my Mom (and I) use roast beef. Though most recipes also call for milk or cream as well as butter or lard and cook the hash stovetop in a frying pan, I remember the baked version given below. Moogie usually serves this with ketchup. Servings of this hash topped with a poached egg are especially good for Sunday breakfast/brunch.


This can certainly be made in a food processor. The most “authentic” version is made using an old-fashioned meat grinder. Although I remember this made with canned beets (in a glass jar), fresh beets are my current choice. Since this is made from leftover meat the amounts of other ingredients will need to be adjusted proportionally based on the amount of meat.

Chop or grind:

1 ½ pounds cold (cooked) roast beef (about 3 cups)

Add:

1 pound cooked potatoes, diced (about 2 cups)

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 pound boiled beets, diced (about 2 cups)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix well and place in a large shallow baking dish that has been greased with

Butter/olive oil

Bake at 350 degrees F about 30 minutes until it is well heated through and top is a bit crusty.  Top with:

Poached egg/person (optional).

Reviewed 5/7/17

Micro? Meatballs

READ THE WHOLE RECIPE BEFORE DECIDING ON METHOD!

Mix together (in mixing bowl using your hands or forks or in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; texture will obviously be much more uniform using the latter method):

1 pound very lean ground sirloin
1 egg
1/2 c fine breadcrumbs or panko
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t pepper
1 T Worcestershire sauce or 1-1/2 t soy sauce
1/4 c chopped onion

Shape into balls (12-16 depending on your size preference) and arrange in a circle(s) in a 9 or 10-inch glass pie plate. Cover with wax paper. Microwave on High 6-8 minutes, rotating dish 90 degrees after 3 minutes, until done.

Remove meatballs from pan and place on paper towels to drain off as much fat as possible. Serve in spaghetti sauce.



WHY THE ?

I used to make these quite a bit and no one complained (not sure anyone kissed the cook either).  In January (2011) we were in New York and Christopher made us fresh pasta with a pan fried meatball sauce.  In February when we  were in Colorado, I made buffalo micro-meatballs and served them with packaged spaghetti.  A poor reprise in all regards.  But the real disappointment was the meatballs.

As Ed noted, a microwave cooks from the inside out so it is hard, almost impossible, to get the meatballs cooked on the outside and reasonably rare on the inside using this technique.  The following week, I tried again.  First using a food processor (as Christopher had done) rather than lazily chopping the onions.

The results were much more consistent meatballs (see photo above left). I then pan fried the meatballs until they were well browned on the outside but still pink on the inside, again a definite improvement!  The micro-meatballs may be quicker and definately less messy, but I will be using this stove top cooking method going forward.






Reviewed 5/7/17

Chili Con Carne

6 servings

This recipe is from Moogie. Since it's pretty heavy on the meat, I usually go for the tofu version, Chili Con Tofu with Beans, saving the meat for a good grilled burger with corn on the cob.

Fry 2 pounds

[very lean] hamburger steak

until brown. Remove from fry pan [drain/blot all excess fat – see Scrambled Hamburger] and put into kettle. Add:

1 can red stewed kidney beans
1 qt can tomatoes
4 T vinegar
1 green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T sugar
½ c water

1 t chili powder [I’m sure Moogie always uses more than this; how much you use should be determined by how hot your chili powder really is and how hot you want the chili to be --- do the taste test as you add seasoning].

“Also dump in some taco sauce or green chili or both” [Bottom line: adjust hotness to
taste]

Simmer for one hour.

Reviewed 5/7/17

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Stuffed Grape Leaves are a Condor favorite, especially on cold overnight sails.

Because the meat is added raw to the stew, all of the fat remains in the sauce; to reduce the fat, cook meat first and drain/blot off the fat (see Scrambled Hamburger). Alternatively try the vegetarian Dolmadakia . This recipe is more like a "stew" and as such is not a good candidate for hors d'oeuvres while the Dolmadakia make an excellent hors d'oeuvres or meze dish.

The recipe below is from the original New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne

1 quart jar of grape leaves
2 pounds ground lean lamb or beef [use the leanest beef you can purchase]
1 c raw rice, washed and drained
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 t thyme
1 t oregano
1 small onion, grated [I chop finely]
2 T butter [use 1 T olive oil]
3 large onions, sliced
2 quarts canned tomatoes

1. Wash the grape leaves thoroughly in cold water to remove the salt.

2. Mix the meat [see note above re: cooking first] with the rice, pepper, thyme, oregano and grated onion.

3. In a large kettle heat the butter [olive oil], add the sliced onions and cook until transparent. Add half the tomatoes and heat.

4. Stuff the grape leaves (not too tightly) with the meat mixture, using about one tablespoon of the mixture for each leaf [depending on size of leaf; use more for larger leaves]. Shape each into a neat package [roll jelly roll style, tucking in the ends about half-way through rolling] and place gently in the hot tomato sauce.  [Technique photos]

4. Heat the remaining tomatoes and pour over the top. Cover and simmer forty-five minutes to one hour.[If meat is pre-cooked simmer just until stuffed grape leaves are heated through.]

Reviewed 5/7/17

New England Boiled Dinner

Most every year around St. Patrick's Day when corn beef and accompanying veggies are on special I make a New England Boiled Dinner. I use beef that has been processed without nitrates. For a real "New England Dinner" finish the meal with Indian Pudding.

I often wondered where the term "corned" came from and read recently that a "corn" was a measurement for salt, hence the term "corned" for meat soaked in brine (water containing salts). You will have to take my word for this because when I tried to document this fact by searching salt+corn+measure I found  mostly popcorn recipes.

NOTE: Meat often comes with a spice packet including allspice berries and mustard seed; if you do not have these spices on hand, check the meat packaging before purchasing.

Assemble:

3 pounds cured corned beef brisket, trimmed
1/2 t black peppercorns
1/2 t mustard seeds
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice berries
4 bay leaves
3 cups carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks (about 1 pound)
3 cups peeled rutabaga (yellow turnip, about 1 pound)
2 cups parsnips, cut into 1 inch chunks (about 12 ounces)
2 medium sized onions, cut in half and then in quarter wedges
16 small red potatoes, halved (about 2 pounds)
1 large head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

Place beef in a large Dutch oven or kettle. Add all of the spices. Cover with water to 2 inches above beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; partially cover, and simmer 2 hours or until beef is tender. Remove beef from pan.

Strain cooking liquid through a sieve over a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid; discard solids. Place liquid in large measuring cup(s) and put in refrigerator or other cold place. Let the liquid sit until fat rises to the top and can be easily skimmed off. Return de-fatted liquid to the pan. Add beef and vegetables to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Arrange cabbage on top; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until cabbage is tender.

Remove beef and vegetables (using slotted spoon*) from pan and arrange on a large platter/carving board; cut meat across the grain into slices.  Garnish  with:

Parsley

Serve with:

Horseradish and/or a mixture of horseradish and sour cream (proportions to taste).
* Strain cooking liquid through a sieve over a large bowl and reserve to use for warming any leftovers and/or for stock).

Reviewed 5/7/17

Sweet and Sour Beef

Serves 4-6

This recipe is adapted from a recipe Moogie gave me.
Do all the cutting of meat and veggies and have all ingredients for sauce assembled and ready to measure before starting to cook.

1 ¼ pound beef for stir-fry or sirloin cut in thin strips
1 onion cut in chunks
1 green pepper cut in chunks
1 c mushrooms
1 can unsweetened pineapple chunks (reserve juice)
Canola [or peanut/olive] oil for frying

Heat ~ 1 T oil in wok, add onions and peppers and cook, constantly stirring, until crisply chewy and not overdone; then add mushrooms, cook a bit and remove from wok. Add a bit more oil to wok if needed, add meat to wok and cook, constantly stirring, until browned. Remove meat from wok.

Make sauce by combining in wok:

1/3 c brown sugar
1 c pineapple juice (reserved from pineapple for stir-fry)
1/3 c soy sauce (or more to taste, Moogie calls for 2/3c)
2 T vinegar
2 T cornstarch
1T freshly ground ginger

Stir sauce constantly until thick and smooth; if sauce seems too thick add more pineapple juice or water.

Add pineapple to wok and stir until warm, add meat and veggies and stir until all ingredients are warmed through.

Serve with rice.

Reviewed 5/7/17

Sukiyaki

I originally made this using flank steak; recently however I have substituted leaner bison steak, usually found frozen in 12 oz packages.

Serves 4

Make sauce by mixing:

½ c reduced salt soy sauce or tamari
½ c beef or vegetable stock
1 T sugar
1 T dry sherry


Prepare stir-fry ingredients:

1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound flank steak [or 12 oz bison steak], thinly sliced
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, sliced white and green
1 pound spinach, stems removed

Heat 2 t oil in wok, add meat and cook to render out fat; remove meat from wok, dry on paper towels, wipe wok dry and add 1 t additional oil, sauté onions until they begin to wilt, return meat to pan and add mushrooms, stir fry for two minutes. Add sauce and spinach, stirring constantly, cook one more minute or until spinach wilts. Serve at once with rice.

VARIATIONS
Sauté with the onions
2 green peppers, sliced thin

and/or
1 small head of celery, sliced

Add with the mushrooms

Bamboo shoots, sliced

and/or

Soy bean curd (soft tofu) cut in small chunks

Reviewed 5/7/17

Teriyaki Flank Steak

The original recipe came from Moogie. Moogie makes a lot of marinade and serves extra as sauce with the steak. I don’t like to do this unless marinade is boiled for at least ten minutes and this tends to reduce the remaining marinade considerably. I have cut the amount of liquids so that all marinade is used in marinating and basting the steak.

With a sharp knife remove tough membrane [as well as any fat] on the outside of a

1 ½ pound flank steak

Place the steak in a shallow dish in which the steak can lie flat. Mix the following and pour over the steak:

½ c soy sauce [I use 2 T]
½ c oil [I use 2 T olive oil]
¼ c dry cooking sherry [I use 1 T or often omit]
2 medium cloves crushed garlic [I use finely chopped garlic]
2 T grated fresh ginger root*
I T grated orange or tangerine rind [I omit rind and use ¼ c orange juice]

Marinate two hours, turning steak over occasionally [I often marinate for only an hour]. Cook on grill brushing with marinade until cooked to desired doneness [remember meat will keep cooking for a while when it is removed from grill and it is best to remove ~10 minutes before slicing] . Cut diagonally in thin pieces.

* January 2015: Chris has convinced me to use ~1 1/2 t ground ginger (or more to taste). He argues it is easier (no grating) to prepare, easier to store and makes much less of a mess on the grill.

Reviewed 5/7/17

Baked Stuffed Flank Steak

6-8 servings.

This is a recipe from Moogie. I use olive oil in place of butter and trim all of the fat I can off the steak.

Prepare:

1 1/2c cooked rice [I use brown basmati; 1/2 c dry makes approximately 1 1/2
cups cooked rice]

For a 2 pound steak I often make 3 cups of cooked rice and cook what does not fit in the steak in a separate dish in the oven.

Sauté:

1/4 c butter [I use 2 T olive oil and heat before adding onion and garlic]
1/2 c onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed [I mince]

until golden. Remove from heat and stir onion mixture into rice along with:

1/2 c chopped parsley
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 t salt [I omit --- salt is best directly on the meat!]
1/4 t pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Dry and score [and trim off as much fat as possible]

1 3/4 - 2 pound flank steak

Rub with:

Garlic

Brush each side with:

1 T soy sauce
1/4 t pepper.

Lay flat and spread with 1 T butter [I omit butter]. Place rice mixture over steak, keeping about 1 1/2 inches from the edges. Roll [longest edges toward each other] close and fasten with small skewers or tie in three places. Spread 1 T butter over surface [I omit butter].

Dilute:

½ c condensed beef broth with
½ c water [I use 365 Organic Beef Flavored Broth and do not dilute]

Pour over rolled steak. Sprinkle with:

1 T chopped crystallized ginger [I use Whole Foods Naked Ginger]

Roast 30- 45 minutes, basting occasionally, until internal temperature of meat is 125 - 130 degrees F (for rare). Using a thermometer is hard given thinness of meat. You may need to check surface of meat on inside of roll or make small test cut.

Revised 5/7/17

Lo Mein

4 or more servings

BEEF LO MEIN (See below for Chicken/Shrimp Lo Mein and, my favorite, Veggie Lo Mein - photos at left and below)

The Lo Mein with Beef recipe is adapted from The Chinese Cookbook by Craig Claiborne and Virginia Lee. They point out “The word mein means noodles, and lo has been translated as ‘mixed'. These noodles are mixed with beef and cabbage.” This beef dish serves 4 as a main course, more if served with other dishes or especially in the case of the vegetable lo mein, more if more vegetables are added. I don't know why this recipe lists chives as optional. I use small scallions rather than chives and think they are essential to the dish.

NOTE: While this recipe calls for cooking the pasta ahead and rinsing with cold water. I usually cook the pasta while I am cooking the meat/veggies, then drain the pasta well and add while still hot to the meat/veggie mixture. I then "cook" just long enough to mix the veggies thoroughly and coat the pasta with the sauce. Recently I have started using whole wheat spaghetti.

1/2 pound fresh Chinese noodles [thin spaghetti works too]

3 large dried black mushrooms [I often substitute fresh crimini/button mushrooms]
[If using dried mushrooms] Place the mushrooms in a bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes or longer, then drain and squeeze them to extract most of their moisture. Cut off and discard the tough stems.]

3/4 pound flank steak
1 to 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
1 cup canola oil [I use just 2-4 T oil]
½ cup shredded bamboo shoots [I usually omit]

½ cup any kind of cabbage-celery, Chinese or plain-cut into crosswise
shreds

½ teaspoon sugar (optional.)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon light soy sauce*
½ cup chicken broth
1 ½ teaspoons dark soy sauce*

[*to simplify I use 1 1/2 - 2 T soy/tamari sauce instead of light and dark soy sauce]

½ cup chives (preferably Chinese chives) cut into 2-inch lengths (optional)
[ See note above, do not omit, use small scallions and a minimum of  ½
cup, in this case more is better]

3 cups bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

Drop the noodles into a large quantity of boiling water - at least 2 quarts - and cook according to directions on package until tender. Do not overcook. Drain and rinse well under cold water. Set aside. [To use noodles hot, delay cooking so noodles and meat/veggie mixture are done at approximately the same time.]

Place the meat on a flat surface and cut it across the grain into the thinnest possible slices. [It is easier to do this if the meat is partially frozen.] Place the slices in a bowl and add the oyster sauce, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil.

In a wok or skillet, heat the 1 cup oil [I use a few T] , and when it is warm, not hot, add the beef and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. (If the oil is hot, the meat will stick together in a lump). Drain the beef, in a sieve-lined bowl to catch the drippings and drain off all but 2 T of the oil in the pan. [For less fat do not save drippings, discard all oil and start with fresh oil for next step]

Heat the oil remaining [2 T unused oil] in the pan to almost smoking, then add the bamboo shoots and, mushrooms [and white part of scallions, cut diagonally into 1/2" pieces] and cook, stirring, over high heat about 15 seconds. Add the cabbage, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute, then scoop out and reserve the solids.

Add the drippings and oil from the beef to the pan. [I do not add drippings] There should be about 2 T  of oil; add some if necessary. Turn the heat to high, and when hot add the noodles. Cook, stirring, about 20 seconds. Add the light soy sauce, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms.. Cook about 15 seconds, stirring, and add the chicken broth and dark soy sauce. Cook, stirring, about 8 minutes, then add the chives [green parts of scallions, sliced diagonally into 3/4' lengths] if  used, bean sprouts, and beef. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.

Add the remaining sesame oil, toss to blend, and serve hot.


CHICKEN/SHRIMP LO MEIN

Use Beef Lo Mein recipe and substitute thinly sliced raw chicken (cook ~4 minutes until the chicken has lost all pinkness) or raw shrimp (cook ~4 minutes until pink and firm) for beef and dry sherry for oyster sauce.  Or add chicken/shrimp to Veggie Lo Mein recipe.


VEGGIE LO MEIN

This is my favorite.

This is almost an "anything-goes" veggie wise (just don't omit the scallions!). Use veggies that are in season and on-hand. Last night I made a delicious version omitting the sweet onion, cabbage, and bean sprouts but adding some red,orange and yellow peppers. Especially if you are making this dish for just a couple of people, a few veggies (carrots, mushrooms. scallions and bok choy) work very well.

Heat in wok:

1-2 T sesame oil (or if you like this dish really hot, substitute chili sesame oil for some/all of the oil)

Add and saute:

1 T ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

until slightly browned then add:

2 carrots cut in thin julienne strips
1/2 sweet onion cut in thin slices
1/4 pound crimini/button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 c assorted sweet peppers, thinly sliced

White parts of 6-8 scallions, cut diagonally into 1/8" pieces
(reserve the green parts)

and saute about 3 minutes, then add:

2 cups napa/Chinese cabbage or bok choy, thinly sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
Green parts of scallions, cut diagonally into 3/4" pieces

stir to coat with oil and then immediately add

1 1/2 to 2 T tamari to taste
1 T dry sherry
1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 t sesame chili oil (adjust amount to taste - or just serve as a side with dish)

saute 2-3 minutes then add:

1/2 pound cooked Chinese noodles or spaghetti (hot, but well drained)
1 t fresh ginger, grated
1 T fresh coriander, chopped

Cook 1-2 minutes until well mixed. Serve immediately.

Reviewed 5/7/17

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Scrambled Hamburger

Place hamburger, preferably very lean, in frying pan over low heat. Break hamburger into tiny pieces with fork as meat is cooking. When meat is fully cooked, drain on 2-3 layers of paper towels to remove as much grease as possible.

If  hamburger is being used for a Mexican recipe (tacos, burritos) return to pan and add “taco seasoning” or chili powder, cumin and garlic to taste.

Reviewed 5/7/17

Tacos

This is a favorite lunch when we are in Colorado.  I pick up a package of corn tortillas from Tortilleria La Roca just before lunch. The tortillas are still warm, so need to put in the microwave. I put the remaining tortillas in the fridge to use later. For these everyday lunches I usually fill the tortillas with sliced avocado, chopped onion, corriander and a little thinly sliced cheddar cheese and top with salsa.

This recipe is for “soft” tacos.


Fresh corn tortillas (2-3 per person)
Olive oil.

Spray or lightly brush oil on each side of tortilla. Place tortilla(s) on paper towel in a microwave oven on high for ~10 seconds/tortilla, or until tortilla is warm. Remove tortilla(s) and pat each side with paper towel to remove any excess oil.*



Fill with any/all of the following:

Sharp cheddar cheese, grated  (I use Cabot's Hunter)
Scrambled Hamburg  with taco seasoning
OR small pieces of cooked chicken (omit for veggie/entree)
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped onion
Shredded lettuce
Chopped cilantro
Guacamole  or sliced avocado
Refried beans
Salsa

Fold tortillas in half and serve with additional salsa.

* March 2013:  I now usually omit the oil, especially when I can get really fresh tortillas (as shown in above photo) and just warm the plain tortillas if necessary in the microwave.

Reviewed 5/7/2017
Reviewed 8/31/2017

FPK’s Good Meat Loaf

This meatloaf was one of Grandmother Up Down’s specialties and we all enjoyed it when we visited Chappy.










[Prepare veggies to be used as filling (see below)]











Combine:

1 ½ pound ground beef [I use VERY lean ground sirloin]
½ pound ground pork [I use and additional ½ pound of beef]
2 eggs
1 c breadcrumbs
¼ c milk
“Thyme, pepper, salt, basil, parsley”

[Beat the eggs together before adding, or to save dishes, beat eggs in one corner of the bowl before mixing with other ingredients]

Roll mix between 2 sheets of wax paper until ½ inch thin in a rectangle shorter than the length of the baking pan. Remove top sheet of wax paper. [I use a flexible plastic cutting sheet under the bottom sheet of wax paper.  The wax paper is more flexible and easier to control than the cutting sheet but tends to disintegrate and the plastic sheet gives a bit more structure.]







Spread meat mix with any or all of the veggies below [or be creative with others]

Mashed carrots [Grandmother used cooked and mashed, I use raw grated - 8 oz]
Chopped spinach [Grandmother used a thawed package of frozen spinach, I use 5 oz chopped fresh spinach]
Chopped onions [I use 4 oz]

Roll like a jellyroll, removing bottom layer of wax paper as you roll.










Put aluminum foil in baking pan [or omit foil and soak pan after cooking]. Put roll in pan, seam side down. Spread with glaze [I think Grandmother saved some of glaze to serve with meatloaf]:

1 c brown sugar [1/4 c*]
½ t mustard [dried mustard]
½ c ketchup

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Remove from pan and serve in slices.

* November 2015: As with many recipes I revisit after a long haitus, I was astounded at the amount of  sugar. I remember the glaze as being very tasty but I was preparing this meatloaf as a treat for my grandson .  I used only 1/4 c of sugar and he seemed to enjoy the resulting meatloaf (he ate about half in 3-4 sittings!).  I put all the glaze on top, and Henry, who loves "dipping" was offered a bit of plain ketchup for this purpose.


Reviewed 5/7/17

Chicken Fajitas

4-6 servings

Comparing the recipe and the photos will show that this is a very flexible recipe. Photos show sliced avocadoes rqther than guacamole, no tomatoes and mixed greens rather than romaine and no chese or beans, both great additions. So awesome with the fresh flour tortillas we are able to get when in Carbondale.

Marinate, for approximately one-half hour (in refrigerator):

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts in:

1 T olive oil
2 T lime juice
2 t cumin
½ t chili powder (or more to taste)




Sauté:
2 t olive oil (heat first)
1 sweet red pepper, sliced thin
1 large sweet onion, sliced thin

until onion begins to wilt. Meanwhile grill chicken approximately 12 minutes (depending on size of chicken and temperature of grill), basting with marinade and turning every 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Put cooked chicken on clean plate. Do not return to dish in which it was marinated and be sure to wash all cooking equipment that came in contact with chicken (as well as your hands) with soap.

Slice cooked chicken thin and place on warm platter, add onions and pepper and:

2 tomatoes cut into ¼ in dice (optional)
2 c of shredded romaine
Cilantro leaves

Serve with:

8 to 12 warm flour tortillas (heat in oven or micro)
Guacamole
Salsa

The larger the group the more fillings you may wish to offer; you could also include:

Grated sharp cheddar cheese
Warm black or refried beans

Let each person fill tortilla(s) according to taste.






VARAIATION #1:

This could also be done completely on a grill, grilling veggies with the chicken and warming tortillas on the grill.

VARIATION #2:

Instead of chicken, use

1 pound grilled flank steak (use same marinade)

For a large group, both chicken and beef as well as cheese and bean fajitas could be served.

Reviewed 5/14/17

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Burritos

4 lunch servings, 2-4 dinner servings

4 large flour tortillas
2 cups refried beans, or black beans
1 t cumin
6 oz cheddar cheese, grated or thinly sliced with cheese shaver
OPTIONAL: 1 large tomato, chopped
OPTIONAL: 4 T chopped mild onion

OPTIONAL: ½ pound cooked steak, thinly sliced OR
½ pound Scrambled Hamburger

Mix beans and cumin and then spread ¼ of mixture on each tortilla

Sprinkle ¼ of cheese on each tortilla

Add any “optional” ingredients, divided over 4 tortillas.

Roll tortilla, tucking in ends and secure with toothpick

Microwave on high, approximately 90 seconds per burrito or until beans are warm and cheese melted. If all burritos are cooked at once, reposition every minute to insure they are evenly cooked.

After cooking, burritos can be temporarily opened and the following ingredient(s) may be divided among them:

2 cups of shredded lettuce
1 avocado, thinly sliced or 1 recipe of Guacamole (optional)
Salsa to taste

Reviewed 5/4/17