Simple sweet and sour sauce, without the red food coloring.
3/4 C unsweetened pineapple juice
3/4 C vinegar
3/4 C sugar
6 T ketchup
3 t cornstarch
1/4 C soy sauce
Mix all ingredients, cook over medium heat stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and the sauce clears somewhat.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Crab Rangoon
Crab rangoon just like you'd get at any Chinese restaurant.
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz crab (or fake crab for those of us on a budget, it works almost as well)
1/2 t worchestershire
1/2 t soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t sesame oil
wonton wrappers
vegetable oil to deep fry
Mash the ingredients together with a fork, let sit for several minutes to combine, then begin loading in to wonton wrappers. The easiest way is to put about a tablespoon in the middle, wet the edges, and fold one corner to the opposite, pressing to seal. If you're feeling fancy, fold both opposite corners together to seal; it looks better, but requires more oil to fry.
Fry at 350 F until golden brown, being careful not to overload the oil.
Serve with sweet and sour, and possibly a little Chinese mustard. Thai sweet chile sauce also works.
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz crab (or fake crab for those of us on a budget, it works almost as well)
1/2 t worchestershire
1/2 t soy sauce
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t sesame oil
wonton wrappers
vegetable oil to deep fry
Mash the ingredients together with a fork, let sit for several minutes to combine, then begin loading in to wonton wrappers. The easiest way is to put about a tablespoon in the middle, wet the edges, and fold one corner to the opposite, pressing to seal. If you're feeling fancy, fold both opposite corners together to seal; it looks better, but requires more oil to fry.
Fry at 350 F until golden brown, being careful not to overload the oil.
Serve with sweet and sour, and possibly a little Chinese mustard. Thai sweet chile sauce also works.
Chili
A smokey chili with a hint of sweetness and plenty of fire. As always, amounts are approximate.
1.5 lb ground beef
2 14 oz cans of black beans
1 14 oz can of red kidney beans (rinsed)
1 t liquid smoke (optional)
chicken or beef stock
1 large or 2 small onions, chopped
5-6+3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Olive oil (or bacon grease)
2 T cumin
2 t oregano
1/2 t smoked paprika (optional)
2-3 ancho chiles, seeded and ground
1-2 guajillo chiles, seeded and ground
small can of tomato paste
2 bay leaves
7 oz can of chipotles, chopped (this will make it fairly spicy, use less if you don't like heat)
jalapenos to desired heat (serranos for a real kick), chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Brown the ground beef well in a cast iron skillet over medium high. Set aside.
Saute the onion and the first 5-6 cloves of garlic (reserve the other 3) in a large pot with a little olive oil or better yet, bacon grease. When translucent add the jalapenos, and cook for another couple of minutes before adding the ground beef and all the liquid that cooked out.
Add all the other ingredients except the tomato paste and the last 3 cloves of garlic with enough stock to cover. Simmer for at least an hour to blend the flavors and achieve the desired amount of liquid. Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 minutes until the paste is dissolved and the chili has thickened. Add in the 3 cloves of reserved garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
Potatoes with Chorizo
This is a recipe out of The Foods and Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas which is just so good that I feel the need to share it. If you like it, go out and buy the cookbook, because everything in it is spectacular.
1 T olive oil
1/4 lb chorizo (or 10-12 1/8" slices of Spanish cured chorizo rather than Mexican)
3 slices bacon, chopped
4 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
salt
1 T chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Heat the oil, saute the bacon; if using Mexican chorizo add it in when the bacon is about half done, otherwise you want the bacon most of the way to done, then add the chorizo and finish the bacon. Add the potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium high while covered until the potatoes are golden and done. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few minutes on medium high uncovered.
1 T olive oil
1/4 lb chorizo (or 10-12 1/8" slices of Spanish cured chorizo rather than Mexican)
3 slices bacon, chopped
4 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
salt
1 T chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
Heat the oil, saute the bacon; if using Mexican chorizo add it in when the bacon is about half done, otherwise you want the bacon most of the way to done, then add the chorizo and finish the bacon. Add the potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium high while covered until the potatoes are golden and done. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for a few minutes on medium high uncovered.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Classic Caeser Salad
Ingredients for 2-3 servings of dressing:
Freshly Ground Pepper
4-6 fillets of Anchovies cut up into small bits
1 - 1 1/2 T finely chopped Garlic
1 - 1 1/2 t Lee and Perrin's Worcestershire sauce
1/2 a lemon's juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk, preferably local free-range
Mix all these ingredients together, then add a good olive oil slowly while whisking until you get a creamy consistency. The flavors should not be too sharp... FYI the more oil you put in the dressing, the thicker the consistency gets. Make sure the dressing doesn't get too thick.
For the salad:
Shred romaine lettuce, toss with grated romano and crutons. Serve with dressing on the side, and possibly some anchovy fillets for those who like them.
Freshly Ground Pepper
4-6 fillets of Anchovies cut up into small bits
1 - 1 1/2 T finely chopped Garlic
1 - 1 1/2 t Lee and Perrin's Worcestershire sauce
1/2 a lemon's juice
1 t Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk, preferably local free-range
Mix all these ingredients together, then add a good olive oil slowly while whisking until you get a creamy consistency. The flavors should not be too sharp... FYI the more oil you put in the dressing, the thicker the consistency gets. Make sure the dressing doesn't get too thick.
For the salad:
Shred romaine lettuce, toss with grated romano and crutons. Serve with dressing on the side, and possibly some anchovy fillets for those who like them.
Beef Wellington
Now that the holidays are approaching, it's time for a nice impressive main course for a special occasion, which definitely calls for beef wellington.
1 beef tenderloin
1 sheet puff pastry
1/4-1/2 lb prosciutto (enough to wrap the tenderloin)
2 T oil
salt and pepper
1 egg beaten with a little water
marinade/sauce:
1/3 C olive oil
1/2 C chopped carrot
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped celery
1/4 t thyme
1/4 t sage
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
6 peppercorns
1 t salt
1 C dry vermouth
1/3 C cognac
one can beef broth
corn starch
Duxelles:
1.5 lbs mushrooms, minced
4 T butter
4 T shallot, minced
1/2 C madeira wine
salt and pepper to taste
Saute the celery, onions, and carrot for the marinade with the herbs, then cool. Add the rest of the ingredients for the marinade except the beef broth and corn starch, cool, and add the beef. Marinate over night, reserving the marinade at the end.
Remove the beef from the marinade and dry. Season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper; allow to sit at room temperature for an hour. Heat the oil in a steel skillet until extremely hot; sear the tenderloin on all sides then remove and allow to cool. Save any juices which run off the meat while cooling.
Use 2 T of the butter to saute the shallot and minced mushroom. When thoroughly cooked down add the wine, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat, cool, then mix in the remaining 2 T butter. It should be noted that cooking the mushrooms should be done over medium to medium low heat, and will take some time.
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap, and on that, lay out the prosciutto in an overlapping pattern such that every section ends up with two layers of prosciutto on it. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over all of it. Put the beef tenderloin in it, folding the thin end back on the meat to achieve an even thickness of meat. Tightly roll it in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set. Remove from the plastic wrap and wrap in the puff pastry (it may need to be rolled out to the length of the tenderloin).
Cut a few vent holes, and brush with egg wash. Bake 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven, then lower to 375 and bake an additional 20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.
While the beef is cooking, combine the marinade with the beef broth and simmer until a volume of 2 C is reached, adjusting seasoning. Strain and degrease, then thicken with cornstarch to desired consistency.
Serve the beef with the sauce on the side.
1 beef tenderloin
1 sheet puff pastry
1/4-1/2 lb prosciutto (enough to wrap the tenderloin)
2 T oil
salt and pepper
1 egg beaten with a little water
marinade/sauce:
1/3 C olive oil
1/2 C chopped carrot
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped celery
1/4 t thyme
1/4 t sage
1 bay leaf
3 cloves
6 peppercorns
1 t salt
1 C dry vermouth
1/3 C cognac
one can beef broth
corn starch
Duxelles:
1.5 lbs mushrooms, minced
4 T butter
4 T shallot, minced
1/2 C madeira wine
salt and pepper to taste
Saute the celery, onions, and carrot for the marinade with the herbs, then cool. Add the rest of the ingredients for the marinade except the beef broth and corn starch, cool, and add the beef. Marinate over night, reserving the marinade at the end.
Remove the beef from the marinade and dry. Season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper; allow to sit at room temperature for an hour. Heat the oil in a steel skillet until extremely hot; sear the tenderloin on all sides then remove and allow to cool. Save any juices which run off the meat while cooling.
Use 2 T of the butter to saute the shallot and minced mushroom. When thoroughly cooked down add the wine, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat, cool, then mix in the remaining 2 T butter. It should be noted that cooking the mushrooms should be done over medium to medium low heat, and will take some time.
Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap, and on that, lay out the prosciutto in an overlapping pattern such that every section ends up with two layers of prosciutto on it. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over all of it. Put the beef tenderloin in it, folding the thin end back on the meat to achieve an even thickness of meat. Tightly roll it in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set. Remove from the plastic wrap and wrap in the puff pastry (it may need to be rolled out to the length of the tenderloin).
Cut a few vent holes, and brush with egg wash. Bake 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven, then lower to 375 and bake an additional 20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown.
While the beef is cooking, combine the marinade with the beef broth and simmer until a volume of 2 C is reached, adjusting seasoning. Strain and degrease, then thicken with cornstarch to desired consistency.
Serve the beef with the sauce on the side.
Naan
This is the best recipe I've found for making naan, a really good Indian flat bread; eat it as an accompaniment to most types of Indian food. This recipe is also easy to modify, adding things like finely chopped garlic to make garlic naan. The dough keeps well in the fridge, so I typically cook enough for that meal then just tear off a chunk and cook it when I want more.
1 cup whole milk
2 t suger
2 T yeast
4 cups AP flour
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder
2 T veg oil
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 large egg
butter
Scald the milk with the sugar, then let it cool to room temp
Add the yeast, stirring well.
Let the mixture sit until foamy.
Put the flour in large bowl, add salt, baking powder, oil, yogurt, and egg. Mix thoroughly.
Slowly add the foamy milk mixture.
Knead the dough until smooth, then put in greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Let it rise until approximately two times the original size (about 1 hour).
Punch the dough down, then cut and roll balls; roll each ball flat (you want it fairly thin).
To cook:
The easiest way is just to toast both sides in a cast iron skillet on the stove top on medium-high; I rub butter in the hot skillet before adding the dough. Cook longer on the first side to get bubbles formed which will give the nice charred spots when you cook the second side. While the second side cooks, rub butter on the first, and rub butter on the second once you remove it. Sprinkle with minced garlic for garlic naan.
Alternatively, you can stick a baking stone in an oven pre-heated to 450F (with the rack one step down from the top). When the oven is pre-heated, switch it over to a broiler on high and toss the dough on the baking stone and cook. Butter both sides when done.
Palak Paneer
Palak Paneer or as my friends and I called it The Delicious Green Goo. It's a fairly simple recipe of curried spinach and cheese (paneer), but it is delicious. Just don't forget the tequila!
Ingredients:
6 T Ghee
5-6+4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 T grated ginger
6-10 dried red chile peppers or to taste
2 small onions, finely chopped
2-3 T ground cumin (start with 2, adjust to taste in last 15 minutes of cooking)
1-2 T ground coriander (start with 1, adjust to taste in last 15 minutes of cooking)
1 t ground turmeric
1 C sour cream
2 lbs fresh baby spinach, rinsed and de-stemmed
8-12 oz paneer (or whole milk ricotta if you can't find paneer)
A little cream if necessary to thin
salt and pepper to taste
2 shots of tequila per cook (see note)
In a large saucepan heat 4 T ghee and saute cumin and coriander until fragrant, then add in the 5-6 cloves garlic, ginger, red chilies, and onion until brown.
Add turmeric and sour cream (add more or less to achieve desired creaminess), stir and heat until simmering.
Take a shot of tequila.
Add the spinach, handfuls at a time; I cook while I add, meaning about an hour of cooking, followed by 45 minutes over medium-low heat, half of that covered. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Pour spinach mixture into a blender or food processor, and blend until the spinach is finely chopped. Pour back into the saucepan, add in the remaining garlic, adjust seasoning, and keep warm over low heat. You may want to add a little extra ginger as well. Add a little cream if the mixture seems too dry.
Take a shot of tequila.
In a medium frying pan heat 2 T of ghee over medium heat, and fry cheese until browned; this is easiest if you fry it in slabs then cube it. If you're using ricotta it will seem like the cheese is melting, just leave it, checking periodically to see if it has browned; the cheese will eventually brown. Add cheese to spinach and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Serve with fresh naan.
Note: the first time I made this I wasn't terribly organized and a friend of mine kept coming in to the kitchen yelling "TEQUILA!" and handing out shots. All of this resulted in a longer cooking process and being a little liberal with the spices; it also resulted in the stuff being delicious. The next time I made it there was no tequila involved and I cooked it far faster knowing what I was doing, but it was pretty horrible. The moral is, you can skip the tequila, but take your time and don't be afraid to up the spices if you think it needs it.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Katsudon
7 T soy sauce
6 T sugar
sprinkling dashi (japanese bullion base similar to bonito flakes, optional)
5 T mirin (sweet japanese rice wine)
2 T sake
lean pork (typically two boneless pork chops, trimmed)
4 eggs
panko (japanese breadcrumbs)
Slice pork thinly (about 1/4 inch thick across the grain so each pork chop produces 3-4 slices), dip in 1 beaten egg and then panko. Fry in 350 degree vegtable oil until golden brown and completely cooked. Slice cooked pork in to 1 cm wide strips.
In a two cup measuring cup add first 5 ingredients, along with enough hot water to bring to 2 cups, stirring to combine.
Divide pork in to 3 portions. Put 2/3 C of the sauce in a wok, over moderately high heat add a portion of pork and bring to a boil; when boiling crack an egg into the mix and stir rapidly with chopsticks or a fork until the egg is cooked. Remove batch from the wok and repeat for remaining batches. Serve with rice.
6 T sugar
sprinkling dashi (japanese bullion base similar to bonito flakes, optional)
5 T mirin (sweet japanese rice wine)
2 T sake
lean pork (typically two boneless pork chops, trimmed)
4 eggs
panko (japanese breadcrumbs)
Slice pork thinly (about 1/4 inch thick across the grain so each pork chop produces 3-4 slices), dip in 1 beaten egg and then panko. Fry in 350 degree vegtable oil until golden brown and completely cooked. Slice cooked pork in to 1 cm wide strips.
In a two cup measuring cup add first 5 ingredients, along with enough hot water to bring to 2 cups, stirring to combine.
Divide pork in to 3 portions. Put 2/3 C of the sauce in a wok, over moderately high heat add a portion of pork and bring to a boil; when boiling crack an egg into the mix and stir rapidly with chopsticks or a fork until the egg is cooked. Remove batch from the wok and repeat for remaining batches. Serve with rice.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Black Forest Cherry Cake
Black forest cherry cake, something I should have added here a long time ago. This is a rich, moist, and chocolaty cake which can be quite a bit of work to make, but is well worth it for special occasions. Just make sure you make the cake at least a day ahead of time (two is better) and refrigerate it, or the amount of kirschwasser in the cake can make eating this like doing shots.
Cake:
1 3/4 C flour
1 C brewed high quality coffee
1 t vanilla
1 C buttermilk
1 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 C sugar
3/4 C cocoa powder (use good stuff like Hershey's special dark)
1 t salt
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 eggs
Butter cream filling:
5 egg yolks
2/3 C sugar
1/3 C water
1 C unsalted butter, softened
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted
3 T good quality Kirschwasser (a cherry brandy)
Whipped cream topping:
2 C heavy cream
1/3 C powdered sugar
2.5 T kirschwasser
Assembly:
Dark cherries, pitted, preferably fresh, but canned will work (drained if using canned).
4 T kirshwasser
1 oz semi-sweet chocolate
Cake:
Start by buttering and flouring two 9" cake pans. In a large bowl mix together the dry cake ingredients, then slowly add in all the wet ingredients other than the coffee and mix to combine. Add in the coffee slowly while mixing. Pour in to pans and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until done. Remove pans from the oven and allow to cool.
Butter cream filling:
Beat egg yolks, then separately bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir while heating until the soft ball stage is reached (238 F). Very slowly whisk the sugar in to the egg yolks, being careful not to cook the egg. Mix in the butter, chocolate, and kirschwasser. Refrigerate for at least an hour before assembly, you want it as thick as possible for assembly.
Whipped cream:
Whisk cream while slowly adding in sugar and kirschwasser. Whisk it until it forms stiff peaks (this will take a hell of a lot of work if you try to do it by hand); be careful not to over-mix and form butter. I have it on good authority that kirsch butter is gross.
Assembly:
Split the cakes so you end up with four layers, and level off the top of one of them. Place the first layer and sprinkle with a 1 T kirschwasser, then spread butter cream filling. Be generous with the filling, and let it soak in for a couple of minutes. Top the layer with 15-20 halved cherries, put the second layer on and repeat. After the first three layers are on, put the fourth layer on (this should be the unleveled cake top), sprinkle with 1 T kirschwasser, and coat the top and sides with whipped cream topping. Decorate the top with halved cherries and shaved semi-sweet chocolate. Refrigerate overnight, uncovered, to allow the cake to set and the kirsch to evaporate.
Cake:
1 3/4 C flour
1 C brewed high quality coffee
1 t vanilla
1 C buttermilk
1 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 C sugar
3/4 C cocoa powder (use good stuff like Hershey's special dark)
1 t salt
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 eggs
Butter cream filling:
5 egg yolks
2/3 C sugar
1/3 C water
1 C unsalted butter, softened
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted
3 T good quality Kirschwasser (a cherry brandy)
Whipped cream topping:
2 C heavy cream
1/3 C powdered sugar
2.5 T kirschwasser
Assembly:
Dark cherries, pitted, preferably fresh, but canned will work (drained if using canned).
4 T kirshwasser
1 oz semi-sweet chocolate
Cake:
Start by buttering and flouring two 9" cake pans. In a large bowl mix together the dry cake ingredients, then slowly add in all the wet ingredients other than the coffee and mix to combine. Add in the coffee slowly while mixing. Pour in to pans and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until done. Remove pans from the oven and allow to cool.
Butter cream filling:
Beat egg yolks, then separately bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir while heating until the soft ball stage is reached (238 F). Very slowly whisk the sugar in to the egg yolks, being careful not to cook the egg. Mix in the butter, chocolate, and kirschwasser. Refrigerate for at least an hour before assembly, you want it as thick as possible for assembly.
Whipped cream:
Whisk cream while slowly adding in sugar and kirschwasser. Whisk it until it forms stiff peaks (this will take a hell of a lot of work if you try to do it by hand); be careful not to over-mix and form butter. I have it on good authority that kirsch butter is gross.
Assembly:
Split the cakes so you end up with four layers, and level off the top of one of them. Place the first layer and sprinkle with a 1 T kirschwasser, then spread butter cream filling. Be generous with the filling, and let it soak in for a couple of minutes. Top the layer with 15-20 halved cherries, put the second layer on and repeat. After the first three layers are on, put the fourth layer on (this should be the unleveled cake top), sprinkle with 1 T kirschwasser, and coat the top and sides with whipped cream topping. Decorate the top with halved cherries and shaved semi-sweet chocolate. Refrigerate overnight, uncovered, to allow the cake to set and the kirsch to evaporate.
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