Archive for the ‘Meat’ Category
bottom round roast, Dutch Oven, ginger snap cookies, juniper berries, marinade, Sauerbraten, slow-cooking
In Beef, Meat, Recipes on November 2, 2012 at 3:29 PM
Sauerbraten
(Active preparation-45 minutes; inactive preparation-4 days; cooking time 5 hours)
Ingredients
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 6.5 lb. Bottom Round Roast
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. Kosher salt
For the marinade:
2 cups of water
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups red wine vinegar
2 cups cider vinegar
2 large carrots peeled and sliced
2 medium onions, chopped coarsely
2 tsps. yellow mustard seeds
24 juniper berries
12 cloves
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp. whole black peppercorns
For cooking and finishing:
½ cup of sugar
3 dozen Gingersnap Cookies, crushed
Preparation
Marinate the Roast:
1. Pat dry the roast with paper toweling and sprinkle with Kosher salt and ground black pepper.
2. In a 5 quart or larger pot, melt the butter, add the seasoned roast, fat side down, and brown on all sides for about 10 or 12 minutes in total.
3. When fully browned, remove the roast and set aside in an enameled Dutch Oven, or large non-reactive bowl, preferably one with a cover.
4. Next, prepare the marinade: add the 11 ingredients to the pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. When the marinade has cooled, pour it over the roast, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 5 days, turning it once each day.
Cook the Roast:
6. When ready to cook the roast, remove from the refrigerator and pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Alternatively, cook on stove top.
7. Add sugar to marinade and stir well, place Dutch Oven on middle rack of oven and slow cook, covered for 5 hours until roast is fork-tender. If using stove top, bring to a boil, reduce heat so liquid is just bubbling, cover and cook 5 hours.
8. With either cooking method, if roast is not completely covered by the liquid, turn it once or twice during the 5 hours.
9. When done, shut the oven, or heat, remove the meat to a platter and keep warm.
10. Strain the solids from the marinade and discard them. Wipe clean the Dutch Oven, and remove and discard any solids still attached to the roast.
11. Add the strained marinade back to the Dutch Oven, place it on the stove top, bring to a boil and whisk in the crushed gingersnap cookies.
12. Add back the roast and keep warm on a low flame until ready to serve.
13. Slice the roast and pour the gravy over the slices. Serve at once with sides of red cabbage and mashed potatoes.
Please see Where Have All the Germans Gone?
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butcher's twine, meat mallet, mozzarella, Pork Tenderloin, rolled stuffed pork, sun-dried tomatoes
In Meat, Pork, Recipes on September 16, 2012 at 7:08 PM
Roasted and Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
(Serves 4: preparation time 1 hour, cooking time 30 minutes)
Ingredients:
2 Pork Tenderloins (they usually come two in a package) about 2.5 to 3 lbs.
1 medium sized fresh mozzarella, diced into small pieces
1 small jar (7 or 8 oz.) sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 & ¼ cup dry white wine
2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Special items you will need:
10 lengths of butcher’s twine – each 15 inches in length
Meat mallet
Procedure:
1. Cut a deep, lengthwise, slice into each tenderloin; taking care not to cut all the way through.
2. Cover each sliced tenderloin with wax paper and flatten as much as possible with meat mallet.
3. Add olive oil to sauté pan and sear the outside of each tenderloin (one at a time) for about 2 minutes on medium heat. Remove meat to plate and let cool, retain the drippings in the pan.
4. In the meantime make the stuffing: first add the basil leaves to a food processor and pulse chop, then add the sun-dried tomatoes and pulse chop again, finally add the diced mozzarella and pulse chop. Add pepper, blend and set aside.
5. Re-heat the drippings from the tenderloins in the sauté pan, add the wine and bring to a boil, de-glazing the pan. Reduce the wine by about one-third and add about 3 tbsps. of the stuffing to the gravy. You should have about ¾ to 1 cup of gravy. Set it aside.
6. Once the pork has cooled, lay out 5 pieces of cut butcher’s twine on a cutting board, place one tenderloin over the strings, browned side down.
Flattened and ready for tying
7. Spoon approximately ½ of the stuffing onto the tenderloin and close it up, tying off the strings, snip any excess string length after knotting.
8. Repeat for the second tenderloin.
9. At this point the stuffed tenderloins can be placed in the refrigerator until ready to be finished cooking the same day.
Ready for the Oven
10. When ready, pre-heat oven to 450 degrees, place the stuffed tenderloins directly on a low-sided roasting pan and roast for about 25 to 30 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
11. Heat the gravy in a small sauce pot.
12. When the meat is ready, remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.
13. Cut the strings and slice each tenderloin into 2 inch thick pieces, add any spilled stuffing to the gravy and pour the gravy over the slices. Serve immediately with sides of Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli. Serve with a fine Valpolicella such as a 2009 Corte Figaretto.
Please see: An Experiment in Stuffing a Roast
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Calvados, Pork Tenderloin, Prunes
In For Moms on the Go, Meat, Pork, Recipes on April 30, 2012 at 11:04 AM
(Preparation time 15 minutes; serves 4.)
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Pork Tenderloin, (plain, i.e. unseasoned) about 2 lbs., sliced into 1 inch medallions – You should have about 16-18 pieces
24-30 Ready-to-Serve Prunes, drained and pitted (between 1 and 2 for each medallion). As an alternative, soak dried, pitted prunes in 1 quart of boiled water. In either case reserve about 1/4 cup of liquid to enhance the sauce. Or an even better suggestion soak them in Calvados as suggested by Jeannie.
1/2 cup Calvados
Salt and Freshly Ground pepper to taste
Procedure:
1. In a 12 inch non-stick skillet, on high heat, melt the butter.
2. Add the Pork Medallions, sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste and sauté for 10 minutes, turning several times to brown evenly.
3. When browned, add the prunes and then the Calvados. Shut the heat and ignite the Calvados.
CAUTION: When igniting, stand back from the stove, and if you have a vent fan directly over the stove be sure to shut it before igniting the Calvados.
4. Once ignited return heat to low, and with long tongs, carefully turn the medallions several times times to coat them well with the sauce, continuing cooking 2 to 3 minutes longer.
5. Place 4 to 5 medallions on each plate, cover with an equivalent number of prunes and 2 or 3 extra, and pour the sauce over all. Serve immediately with vegetable of choice, or a small salad.
Please refer to Pork & Prunes – Yum or Yuck?
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cherry pepper, chives, chorizo, chouriço, halibut, linguiça, porcini mushrooms, San Marzano Tomatoes
In Fish, Pork, Recipes, Seafood on March 25, 2012 at 3:25 PM
Roasted Halibut with Chouriço and Porcini Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 lb. Halibut fillet
.5 oz. Dried Porcini Mushrooms
8 oz. fresh spinach
4 tbsps. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 oz. Hot Chouriço or Hot Chorizo,* sliced into ¼ inch thick pieces and then quartered
2 San Marzano tomatoes, chopped and drained
1 tbsp. chopped Cherry Pepper*, stem removed
1 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
Preparation:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees with the rack on the highest level.
2. Rehydrate the mushrooms according to instructions on the package. If no instructions are included, soak the mushrooms in 1 cup of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserve the liquid for use in the sauce.
3. Steam the spinach in 1 cup of water; drain, and when cooled, squeeze out and discard any liquid, set the spinach aside.
4. Place the halibut in a greased roasting pan and roast for 18 minutes. When done, place under the broiler for 2 minutes.
5. While the halibut is roasting, heat the olive oil in a 10-12 inch sauté pan on medium heat; add the chorizo and lightly brown for 3 minutes, turning frequently.
6. Add the tomatoes, cherry pepper and mushrooms, reduce heat to medium low and mix well, cook for 3 minutes more.
7. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium-high and let boil for 3 minutes until reduced by approximately half.
8. Add the reserved mushroom-soaking water and boil for 3 more minutes. You should wind up with about 1 cup of liquid.
9. Divide the spinach in half and place in the center of two bowls. When the halibut is done, slice in half and place each piece atop the spinach ‘bed’.
10. With a slotted spoon, remove most of the chorizo and mushrooms from the sauce (reserving some for garnish) and spread around the halibut/spinach combination in the bottom of the bowl.
11. Pour the sauce and the remaining chorizo and mushrooms over the halibut and sprinkle with the chives.
*If the spicy (but not overwhelming so) combination of hot chorizo and cherry pepper is not for your palate, leave out the cherry pepper and use regular chouriço, chorizo or linguiça.
Serve with a well-chilled bottle of dry white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp, fresh, Arneis from the Italian Piedmont.
Please see: A Serendipitous Halibut Dinner
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Contadina, Del Monte, Grammy's Meatballs, Italian sausage, penne, Rigatoni, San Marzano Tomatoes, Shells, Ziti
In Beef, Meat, Pork, Recipes, Sauces on March 10, 2012 at 3:55 PM
Dorothea’s Homemade Italian Sauce served Over Penne
By Grammy Betty
Ingredients:
3 35 oz. cans of San Marzano Tomatoes, mashed
3 small cans (8 oz.), of Del Monte Tomato Sauce
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 ½ tsp. sugar
1 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
16 Grammy’s Meatballs – 2 lbs. prime (90% lean beef) chopped meat, 1 ½ lbs. used for Grammy’s Meatballs and the remainder reserved for adding to the sauce.)
2 small cans (6 oz.) of Contadina Tomato Paste
Preparation:
1. Add the mashed tomatoes and their juice to a large (8 qt.) pot.
2. Add the garlic, sugar and Del Monte tomato sauce.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer.
4. In the meantime, add the sausage to a skillet, pierce them with a fork, and cook over medium heat until done.
5. Remove cooked sausage and add to the sauce, and remove all but 2 tbsps. of rendered fat and add to sauce.
6. Add chopped onion to the scrapings and remaining fat from the sausage, brown and deglaze the pan, add to the sauce.
7. Make the 16 meatballs (see Grammy’s Meatballs for recipe) and add to the sauce.
8. Brown the remaining ½ lb. of chopped meat, add in the tomato paste, stir and cook for 5 minutes or so, over medium heat, remove and add to the sauce.
9. Simmer sauce uncovered, on a low flame, for approximately 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Due to the thickness of the sauce, it is best served over a pasta shape that will trap and hold the sauce, such as Penne, Ziti, Rigatoni or Shells (conchiglie). Add some chopped fresh basil to each bowl, and serve with grated imported Italian Cheese, and Dorothea’s Homemade Hot Pepper Sauce, on the side.
A good bottle of Italian red wine, such as a Rosso di Montalcino, the less expensive cousin of Brunello, makes this pasta dish just perfect!
Please see: The Secret’s Out!
Note: The unused sauce can be frozen in meal sized batches. Often it thickens after taken from the freezer. When this happens, simply add some water to thin the sauce to your liking.
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Dorothea's Homemade Italian Sauce, Grammy's Meatballs, Italian Meatballs, Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano. Locatelli-Romano
In Beef, For Moms on the Go, Meat, Pasta, Recipes, Sauces on March 10, 2012 at 3:53 PM
Grammy’s Meatballs
By Grammy Betty
Our granddaughter, May, defines the term fussy eater. So imagine how thrilled The Literate Chef and I were when she devoured my meatballs during a recent visit. With the love of our granddaughter in mind, I share my recipe for Grammy’s Meatballs.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs. prime (90% lean beef) chopped meat
2 eggs
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Locatelli-Romano
½ cup whole milk
½ cup Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsps. Extra Virgin Olive Oil for browning the meatballs
Preparation:
1. Place all of the above ingredients, except the olive oil, in a large bowl, and kneed them together until well mixed and spongy.
2. Form into 16 medium size (about 2 inches in diameter) meatballs.
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium-high flame.
Browning the Meatballs
4. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides for approximately 5 minutes.
5. Reduce flame to medium and continue cooking, turning frequently, for an additional 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.
(Note: If adding the meatballs to Dorothea’s Homemade Italian Sauce, skip the last step and add the browned meatballs directly to the sauce, where they will continue to cook.)
Please see: The Secret’s Out!
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beef stock, Bell & Evans Chickens, blanch. par-boil, bouquet garni, Chicken Braised in Red Wine, Coq au Vin, Cotes du Rhone, cremini mushrooms, demi-glace, dredge, Dutch Oven, fond
In Chicken, Meat, Recipes on February 25, 2012 at 12:49 PM
Coq au Vin
Serves 8 or serves 4 with leftovers.
Adapted from several cookbooks, see East Side, East Side, All Around the Town
Ingredients:
2 Bell & Evans Free Range Chickens, quartered, about 8 or 9 lbs. total weight
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 bottles of Côtes du Rhône
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs of thyme
1 large shallot coarsely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
¾ lb. pearl onions, about 16 to 20 depending on size
½ lb. thick sliced bacon
1 lb. Cremini mushrooms
¼ lb. unsalted butter
3/4 cup flour
½ cup cognac
2 & ½ cups unsalted beef stock
6 tbsps. Beef demi-glace
Preparation:
Steps 1 to 7 take about 1 hour and can be performed a day in advance and refrigerated overnight.
1. Prepare a bouquet garni, by wrapping the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, shallot & garlic in a piece of cheese cloth and tying it off.
2. Separate the drumsticks from the thighs and cut each breast in half leaving the wings attached to the upper half of the breast. You will end up with 16 pieces of chicken. Liberally salt and pepper each piece.
3. Place the chicken pieces and the bouquet garni in a large non-reactive bowl and cover with the contents of 1 bottle of the wine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate, marinating the chicken for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
4. Bring a small pot of water to boil, add the pearl onions and blanch for 1 minute. Remove the onions and when cooled, remove and discard their skins.
5. Re-boil the water; add the bacon slices and par-boil for about 3 minutes to remove some of the saltiness. Drain and pat the bacon dry. Heat a non-stick sauté pan on medium and fry the bacon until cooked but still soft about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the bacon, slice into ½ inch wide pieces and set aside.
6. Remove most of the bacon fat from the sauté pan leaving about two tablespoons. Add 2 tbsps. of butter and then the skinned onions, brown on high heat for about 3 minutes, remove and set aside.
7. Repeat step 6 with the cremini mushrooms, adding 2 tbsps. of butter and browning the mushrooms for about 5 minutes.
8. When the chicken pieces are finished marinating, drain and pat them dry; reserve the marinade and the bouquet garni.
9. Dredge the chicken pieces in flour. Melt 4 tbsps. of butter in a stainless steel sauté pan on medium heat and brown the chicken pieces well, for about 10 minutes turning them several times. You will probably have to do this in two batches.
10. Remove the chicken to a large casserole, or Dutch Oven.
11. Add the cognac to the sauté pan; bring to a boil and deglaze the pan about 1 minute. Pour the cognac and the fond over the chicken; add the reserved marinade, 2nd bottle of wine, beef stock and bouquet garni.
12. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes adding the mushrooms, onions, bacon after 15 minutes.
13. Remove the chicken, bacon, onions and mushrooms, set aside and keep warm. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.
14. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve, and pour off the fat. Clean the casserole, return the sauce to it and bring to a boil, add the demi-glace to thicken the sauce and when it reaches the consistency thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, add back all of the set aside ingredients, stir well and heat covered for about 15 to 30 minutes on low, prior to serving.
Serve with Mashed Potatoes and Côtes du Rhône
Please see East Side, East Side, All round the Town
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Cherry Peppers, skinless boneless chicken thighs, cherry tomatoes, chicken campagna, dredging with flour, demi-glace, campari tomatoes
In Recipes, Chicken, Meat on January 15, 2012 at 5:34 PM
Chicken Campagna
(Preparation 15 minutes; active cooking 30 minutes. Serves 4, or serves 2 with leftovers)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tbsps. of coarsely chopped garlic, about 7 large cloves
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6 tbsps. flour
Freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt to taste
1 cup of sliced onion; slice medium onion in half from top to root end and then thinly slice each half
4 sliced Cherry Peppers, stems removed and discarded
2 cups of sliced Campari Tomatoes® or Cherry Tomatoes, about 10 oz.
½ cup red wine
2 tbsps. of chopped sage
1 tbsp. beef demi-glace
Preparation:
1. Add the flour to a shallow bowl and mix in the salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken thighs and set aside.
2. In a stainless steel sauté pan, heat the olive oil on medium. When shimmering, add the garlic and stir.
3. When garlic is translucent add the chicken thighs and brown for 8 minutes in total. Turn after 2 minutes and brown for 2 minutes on the other side. Repeat – 2 minutes on each side.
4. Remove the thighs and keep warm. Lower the heat and de-glaze the pan by first adding the onions, then the cherry peppers and tomatoes. Mix well with the onions, scraping up the pan, let cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Then add the wine and bring to a boil.
5. Return the browned chicken to the pan, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 12 minutes, turning the chicken pieces once, after 6 minutes.
6. Add the sage and cook 2 minutes more, uncovered.
7. Remove the chicken to a warmed serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Raise heat to high, add the demi-glace and mix well, stir until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.
8. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.
Serve with Broccoli Rabe Sauteed in Garlic and Olive Oil and Crusty Italian Bread with which to sop up the delicious sauce.
Please see The Best Italian Restaurant
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dry marsala, Italian Fontina, prosciutto di parma, veal cutlets, veal demi-glace, veal rollatini, veal scaloppine
In Meat, Recipes, Veal on January 5, 2012 at 8:57 AM
Veal Rollatini
Three different Italian Regions are represented in this dish: Valle d’Aosta in the northeast, where Italian Fontina is produced; Emilia-Romagna, the breadbasket of Italy for Prosciutto di Parma and Sicily the home of Marsala and the wine named after the city, as well as France where Demi-Glace originated.
Preparation time, 45 minutes, cooking time 15 minutes. (Makes 12 veal rolls -serves six)
Ingredients:
2 lbs. Veal Cutlets trimmed for scaloppine (about 12 slices)
½ lb. Prosciutto di Parma
3/4 lb. Italian Fontina cheese, sliced thinly
12 basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs, whisked
1 cup flour
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
12 oz. + ¼ cup Dry Marsala (see Note)
12 sage leaves, finely chopped
4 tbsp. Veal Demi-Glace
Preparation:
1. Have the butcher slice and trim the veal for scaloppine, telling him you need 12 cutlets.
2. Pat the veal dry on both sides and lay slices on a cutting board with narrow end facing away from you.
3. Sprinkle top with fresh ground black pepper to taste.
4. Layer on two slices of Prosciutto di Parma.
5. Cover prosciutto with sliced Fontina.
6. Place one basil leaf on top of the cheese, at the end closest to you.
Layering the Veal
7. Carefully roll up the veal and other ingredients away from you so that the narrow end is on the outside of the rollup.
8. Secure each roll with two toothpicks.
Rolled Up
9. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees.
10. When all of the rolls are secured, dip them one by one, in the egg and then in the flour and set aside.
11. In a 14 inch non-stick skillet, on high heat, melt the butter.
12. When the butter is bubbling, add the floured veal rolls and brown for about 3 or 4 minutes turning every minute until all sides are lightly browned.
13. Lower heat to medium, add the 12 oz. of Marsala, cover the pan and cook the veal rolls for 6 minutes, turning each roll after 3 minutes.
In the Pan
14. To make the sauce, remove Rollatini from the pan and keep warm in the oven.
15. Add remaining ¼ cup of Marsala, the sage and demi-glace to the pan, stir and reduce to desired thickness. Return veal rolls to the pan along with any accumulated juices and turn once to coat well with the sauce.
16. Transfer the Rollatini to a serving platter, pour the sauce over them and serve immediately. Remind your guests about the toothpicks.
Note: You can also use Sweet Marsala as well, however, I prefer the Dry type for this dish. This is a matter of taste preference and availability.
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braising pan, gremolata, lemon zest, orange zest, osso buco, ossobuco milanese, risotto milanese, veal demi-glace, veal shanks
In Meat, Recipes, Veal on January 4, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Osso Buco Milanese with Gremolata and Risotto Milanese
Serves 4. Active Preparation – 30 minutes, cooking time 3 hours
Ingredients:
4 veal shanks, (Osso Buco) each about 1.5 inches thick (1 lb. each). If larger, have the butcher cut them in two, horizontally.
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
½ cup celery, finely chopped
½ cup carrots, finely chopped
7 garlic cloves—4 sliced thick, 3 minced
3 bay leaves
2 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 cups dry white wine
6 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp. veal demi-glace
2 tbsp. flour
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons minced Italian, (flat-leaf) parsley
Preparation:
1. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large braising pan add the butter and melt.
3. Brown the veal shanks over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and cover to keep warm.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add the diced onion, celery, carrots, sliced garlic cloves and bay leaves and cook over medium heat until they are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
5. Add white wine and deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock and thyme and bring to a boil.
6. Add back the veal and any accumulated juices, cover the braising pan and cook on low heat for about 2- 2.5 hours, until very tender.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata. In a small bowl, mix the orange & lemon zest, minced parsley and the 3 minced garlic cloves.
8. When the shanks are cooked, transfer them to a serving platter, cover with foil and keep warm in a preheated 200 degree oven.
9. Strain the liquid into a bowl, discarding the solids.
10. Rinse the braising pan and wipe dry. Pour the liquid back into the pan, bring to a boil over high heat, add the demi-glace and reduce on high heat for several minutes, lower heat, add flour and return meat to pan and keep warm until ready to serve.
11. Pour the gravy over the Osso Buco, sprinkle each veal shank lightly with the gremolata and serve.
Note: The Osso Buco can be made in advance. Serve with Risotto Milanese.
One of the treats of this dish is the delicious marrow in the center of the bone. In fact, the name Osso Buco means bone with a hole.
Please see: Where Have All the Butchers Gone?
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Baked ham, Bone-in Smoked ham, Fried Ham and Eggs, Ham Bone, Ham Leftovers, orange juice
In Pork, Recipes on December 28, 2011 at 3:08 PM
Active preparation 20 minutes, baking time 3 hours 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 12 lb. smoked ham, bone in
Whole cloves
8 oz. orange juice
8 oz. light beer
½ cup honey
10 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. powdered hot mustard
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Score the fat by making shallow slices 1 inch apart and repeating the process at a 90 degree angle, so that you wind up with 1 inch squares of exposed fat. If the fat is not sufficiently exposed, carefully slice off the skin back to the shank end along the top of the ham before scoring.
3. Place, a clove securely into each square of fat.
Preparing the Ham
4. Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan; add two cups of water to the pan.
5. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 2 hours at 325 degrees.
6. In the meantime, prepare the glaze: heat 8 oz. of orange juice in a two quart pot.
7. In a separate one quart pot empty a can beer and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. When done, add 8 oz. of the beer to the orange juice and stir well.
8. Separately and slowly mix in the honey, brown sugar and powdered mustard.
9. Remove from the heat until ready to baste the ham.
10. After 2 hours of baking pour the glaze over the ham and baste every 15 minutes for another hour.
11. Raise the temperature to 450 degrees and baste the ham one last time.
Ready for the Carving Knife
12. When ham is ready, remove the rack and ham from the pan and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm; place the pan on the stove top and heat on high to thicken the liquid to be used as gravy for the ham.
Note: For use of leftovers, please see: The Gift of Christmas Ham that Kept on Giving and Black Bean Soup.
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Apple Sauce, Red Cabbage, Roast Loin of Pork, Weissbier
In Meat, Pork, Recipes on November 10, 2011 at 3:52 PM
Roast Loin of Pork
Ingredients:
1 Center Cut Loin of Pork, bone –in, about 5 lbs. (6 chops for 4 people)
½ cup flour
4 tsps. fresh chopped sage
4 tsps. fresh chopped thyme
4 large cloves of garlic, each sliced into thirds
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
Preparation:
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Rub pork roast with 1 slice of garlic.
3. Make 8 to 10 incisions on top side of roast and insert garlic slices into incisions.
4. In a large plastic bag, place flour, herbs and pepper, shake well to mix.
5. Add pork roast to bag and shake to coat roast evenly with flour mixture.
6. Place roast on a rack in a roasting pan and with your hands, spread some of the extra herbed-flour over the top of the roast.
7. Place pork roast in the oven and cook for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.
8. Lower heat to 350 degrees and continue cooking. After 2 hours, pour the wine over the roast and continue cooking for 15 minutes more. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest part of the roast, being careful not to touch a bone. The roast is done when the thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove the roast to a platter, cover it with foil and let sit for up to 15 minutes while you make the gravy.
9. Pour off the liquid from the roasting pan into a fat separator and when the fat rises to the top, pour the juices back into the roasting pan. Place roasting pan on stove over medium heat, strain 1 tablespoon of flour into pan as you constantly scrape up the pan drippings. When gravy is thick enough to a spoon it is finished.
Serve with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, prepared red cabbage and prepared apple sauce. A frothy glass of beer, such as a Weissbier, rounds out the meal perfectly.
Please see: Requiem for a Pig
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baby bella mushrooms, comfort food, cremini mushrooms, ground pork, ground sirloin, ground veal, heinz chili sauce, Meatloaf, swanson beef cooking stock, Wondra Flour
In Meat, Recipes on November 4, 2011 at 12:38 PM
Dinner is served
(Serves 4 to 6. Preparation time – 30 minutes; cooking time – 75 minutes)
Ingredients:
For the Meatloaf:
2 tbsps. minced garlic
1 cup finely diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1 medium sized onion)
3 tbsps. of unsalted butter
½ cup of chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped sage
1 tbsp. chopped thyme
½ cup of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 lb. ground sirloin
1 lb. ground veal
1 lb. ground pork
1/3 cup of sour cream
1 egg
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 12 oz. bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce
Freshly ground pepper
For the Gravy:
Two 28 oz. packs of Swanson Beef Cooking Stock (no sodium or less sodium variety).
1 lb. sliced cremini (also called Baby Bella) mushrooms.
2 tbsps. unsalted butter
¼ tsp. fried thyme
¼ cup dry red wine
½ cup flour (Wondra, preferably, because it dissolves quickly)
Preparation for the Meatloaf:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Lightly sauté garlic, celery and onion in butter.
3. Add the meat to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the sautéed vegetables, chopped herbs and breadcrumbs, mix well by hand.
5. Add the sour cream, egg, Worcestershire and Chili Sauce and pepper, mix well by hand.
6. Grease a 3 lb. loaf pan and transfer the meat loaf mixture to the loaf pan, patting it down to remove any air pockets.
7. Cook in oven for 75 minutes until internal temperature is 160 degrees.
In the meantime make the gravy:
1. In a 3 qt. sauce pot bring the beef stock to a boil, and reduce by ½ from 6 cups to 3.
2. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, sauté the mushrooms until golden brown.
3. Add the dried thyme and wine to the mushrooms and reduce the wine to about ½.
4. Transfer the mushrooms and wine to the reduced beef stock.
5. Bring stock to a boil and slowly whisk in the flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.
When the meatloaf is ready, remove it from the pan and set aside, keeping warm. Pour the pan juices into a fat separator (there may be as much as 12 oz.) and let the fat separate. Add the de-fatted pan juices to the gravy.
We served this with mashed potatoes and LeSueur Baby Peas, real comfort food for a chilly night.
A great wine to make this meal even more special is a fruity and intense Amarone Della Valpolicella!
Please refer to: Meatloaf for Dinner! Again?
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Bell & Evans, chicken gravy, lemon zest, Sunday Chicken Dinner, tarragon
In Chicken, Meat, Recipes on October 31, 2011 at 6:56 AM
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 Bell & Evans roasting chicken, about 7 lbs.
4 tbsps. unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 lemon
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
Preparation:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Zest the lemon to obtain about 2 tablespoons of zest. Retain the lemon for step 6.
3. Using a fork, blend the chopped tarragon and lemon zest into the softened butter.
4. Starting above the cavity, gently slip one or two fingers between the skin and the meat of the chicken’s breast to lift the skin and create a pocket.
5. Take ½ the butter mixture and gently slip it into the pocket on one side of the breast bone, then do the same on the other side, spread the butter mixture by smoothing over the skin.
6. Slice the lemon in half and place it in the chicken cavity.
7. Generously salt and pepper the chicken skin.
8. Place it on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes per pound (about 3 hours for a 7 pound chicken).
9. About 90 minutes into the roasting, baste the chicken with the juices that have collected in the pan, pour the wine over the chicken and continue roasting for 30 minutes.
10. Baste the chicken, raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue roasting for 1 hour.
11. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, if it reads 175 degrees or more it is done.
12. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, place the chicken on a platter and cover with foil, let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
13. Place the roasting pan on a stove top burner. Make a gravy by pouring the drippings from the roasting pan into a fat separator. Let the fat rise to the top, pour the drippings back into the pan, heat to a boil on low, whisk in several tablespoons of flour to thicken the gravy to your desired consistency. If too thick, add more wine and boil off the alcohol.
Serve with Roasted Herbed Vegetables and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
The vegetables and potatoes can both be cooked at the same, during the last hour that the chicken is roasting at 375 degrees, and the prep can be done while the chicken is in the early roasting stage.
Arneis, a crisp, flavorful, Piemontese white wine from the Roero goes great with this dish, as its hints of lemon are in perfect harmony with the flavors of the chicken.
Please see: Sunday Chicken Dinner – No Leftovers!
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Beef Stew, blanching, bottom round, burgundy wine, cremini mushrooms, deglazing, Dutch Oven, French Oven, sage, thyme, tomato paste, yukon gold potatoes, Ziploc
In Beef, For Moms on the Go, Meat, Recipes, Stews on October 27, 2011 at 11:11 AM
Ready to Eat
Makes about 5 quarts-preparation time including stove-top browning is 1½hour. Total oven cooking time is 2½ hours. Please refer to A Hearty Stew for Those Chilly Autumn and Winter Nights for some preparation tips.
Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
5-6 lb. roast (bottom round is an excellent choice) cut into cubes of about 1¼ – 1½ inches
½ cup of canola oil
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
5 cups of Pinot Noir or red Burgundy wine
1 quart of beef stock
2 lbs. of Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed to 1½ inches
24 pearl onions (about 1 lb.) outer skin peeled (see step 1 below)
1 16 oz, package of baby carrots
¼ cup of each of coarsely chopped fresh sage and fresh thyme
1 tbsp. whole black peppercorns, crushed
1¼ lbs. cremini mushrooms, stems removed, large caps halved or quartered
1 small (6 oz.) can tomato paste
Preparation:
1. Prepare the onions – bring small pot of water to boil, blanch onions for 30 seconds, rinse and cool, cut off root end and peel outer skin layer.
2. In the meantime, peel and cube the potatoes, prepare the mushrooms and chop the herbs and garlic.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Add flour, salt and pepper to a gallon size Ziploc® bag.
5. Add beef, about 10 pieces at a time, to bag and shake well to coat with flour.
6. Heat canola oil in a large casserole, preferably enamel coated cast iron French or Dutch Oven.
7. Add the floured beef cubes to the casserole and brown them in one layer without crowding, for 8 or so minutes on high heat, turning the cubes several times.
Browning the Beef
Fully Browned Beef
8. Remove browned beef and set aside, add more beef cubes and continuing browning until all the beef is done. If beef sticks to the casserole, or the flour base begins to burn, add a bit more oil.
9. Add the garlic and lightly brown in the remaining oil and fat.
10. Add one cup of wine and with a spatula, deglaze the pot. Add a second cup of wine and continue deglazing.
11. When the second cup of wine has boiled down for about 1 minute, return all of the meat to the casserole to coat it well. Reduce heat to medium.
12. Add beef broth and stir well, cover and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, stir well, cover and place in the pre-heated oven for ½ hour.
13. Add the remaining three cups of wine and the onions, stir well and return to oven covered for another ½ hour.
14. Add the carrots, herbs and black pepper, stir well and return covered to the oven, for a third ½ hour.
15. Add the mushrooms and return covered to the oven an additional ½ hour.
16. Add the tomato paste and return to oven uncovered for a final half hour ½ hour.
The Finished Product
When ready to serve the stew, serve it with a crust baguette and a good red wine, such as a Brunello de Montalcino.
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garlic, Lamb Chops, oregano extra virgin olive oil, Pastis, Pernod, Ricard, rosemary
In Lamb, Meat, Recipes on August 16, 2011 at 10:59 AM
(serves three)
Ingredients:
6 loin lamb chops, about 2 lbs.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, approximately 2 ½ lemons
1 tbsp. chopped fresh herbs ( ½ oregano, ½ rosemary)
6 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/4 cup of pastis
Preparation:
1. Place the chops flat in a glass or other non-reactive dish.
2. Add the olive oil and turn the chops to coat them well.
3. Sprinkle the chops with ½ of the salt and pepper, turn them and sprinkle with the remainder.
4. Add the lemon juice.
5. Sprinkle the chops with ½ of the garlic and ½ of the mixed herbs, turn them and repeat.
6. Add the pastis.
7. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or more, turn several times while marinating.
8. About 1 hour before cooking remove the lamb chops from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Just before cooking remove the chops from the marinade and discard.
9. If grilling, pre-heat the grill to a temperature of around 500 degrees, place the chops on the grate and grill for about 8 minutes, turn and repeat. If broiling, pre-heat broiler on high and place the chops on a rack in a broiling pan, about 5 inches from the heat, broil for 8 minutes, turn and repeat.
Please see: A Nutritionally Balanced and Delicious Mediterranean Meal
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apricot-mango chutney, Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops, Pork Chops
In For Moms on the Go, Meat, Pork, Recipes on August 9, 2011 at 6:41 PM
Broiled Pork Chops woth Apricot-Mango Chutney
Preparation time 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled and diced into ¼ inch cubes
½ cup of water
1 cup apricot preserves
¼ cup cognac
½ teasp. minced fresh ginger, peeled
4 boneless, center-cut, pork chops, about ¾ of an inch thick
Preparation:
The apricot-mango chutney can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated. Just bring it to room temperature about an hour before using. If you are making the chutney the same day as you plan to use it, then it can be prepared while you are pre-heating the oven and broiling the pork chops.
1. Add the mango and water to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium and cook for 8 to10 minutes, until that the water is substantially absorbed and the mango becomes mushy.
2. Remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir in the apricot preserve, a little at a time, until well blended with the mango.
3. Add the cognac and ginger to the apricot-mango mixture and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, let simmer an additional 8 minutes.
4. Place the pork chops in a broiling pan on the top shelf of the oven and broil for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. Spoon the chutney onto one side of the chops and broil an additional 1 minute, taking care not to let the chutney burn.
5. Serve with additional chutney spooned over the chops.
Please see: ‘The Other White Meat’
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basil, boneless skinless chicken breasts, bruschetta, caprese salad, chicken cutlets, extra virgin olive oil, fresh mozzarella, Grandpa Tom's Tomato Salad, oregano, sauteed broccoli, tomatoes
In Chicken, For Moms on the Go, Meat, Recipes on August 7, 2011 at 1:03 PM
Caprese Salad is a delicious combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. It is frequently served as a stand-alone appetizer, or as a topping on a pounded, breaded and fried veal chop or cutlet. Bruschetta is a fresh tomato and basil combination mixed with a good extra virgin olive oil and served on toasted Italian bread, as an appetizer, hors d’ oeuvre or amuse-bouche. We have taken both ideas, adapted them slightly and added them to Chicken Parmigiana, but have substituted the bruschetta for tomato sauce. The combination of cold tomatoes and hot chicken with melted mozzarella is delicious and easy to make. As a matter of fact the bruschetta can be made a day in advance and refrigerated, or can be prepared while the chicken is being fried or baked, thereby cutting down on the time required for preparing dinner.
Total Time 40-45 minutes, active time 25-30 minutes
Chicken Parmigiana alla Caprese
Ingredients:
For the Bruschetta:
2 fresh, ripe tomatoes sliced and diced.
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 basil leaves, chopped
2 slices of red onion, chopped fine
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Hint: If any of Grandpa Tom’s Tomato Salad should be left, which is highly unlikely, you can chop it up and add the red onion and oregano.
For the Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Italian Style breadcrumbs
1 medium-sized (about the size of a baseball) fresh, unsalted, mozzarella, cut into 4 slices
Preparation:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl, whisk well and add salt & pepper.
3. Add breadcrumbs to a second shallow bowl.
4. Pre-heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the butter.
5. While the butter is melting, dip each chicken breast in the egg mixture, coating it well and then in the breadcrumbs, again coating it well and add to the melted butter once it is bubbling.
6. Fry the breaded chicken breasts on medium heat for 15 minutes, turning several times to ensure a good browning on both sides.
7. When the chicken breasts are browned, transfer them to a non-stick baking pan, or cookie sheet sprayed with Pam and bake in the oven, on the center rack, for 15 minutes or until the chicken breasts register 170 degrees on a meat thermometer.
8. While the chicken breasts are baking, prepare the bruschetta by chopping, slicing, dicing and mixing, or if made in advance, pour yourself a glass of wine and relax.
9. When the chicken breasts are baked, place two slices of mozzarella atop each breast and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese melts.
10. Remove the chicken breast to plates and cover generously with the bruschetta, using a slotted spoon to reduce the amount of liquid.
Serve with Broccoli Florets Sautéed in olive oil and garlic.
A Chianti Riserva filled with depth and complexity makes a great accompaniment to this dish.
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Braising, Calvados, Granny Smith Apples, Pork Chops, Raisins
In Meat, Pork, Recipes on July 6, 2011 at 3:27 PM
Preparation and Cooking Time – 1 hour
Ingredients:
• 6 boneless, center cut pork chops, about 3 lbs., patted dry
• 5 Tbsps. of unsalted butter
• ¼ cup of flour
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 Granny Smith apples, cored, skins left on, cut in half vertically, each half sliced in the opposite direction, into ¼ inch slices
• 2 Tbsps. sugar
• 1 large shallot, chopped fine, about 6 Tbsps.
• 1 cup Calvados
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage, about 12 leaves
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary, about 1 stem
Preparation
1. Add the raisins to two cups of boiled water and let soak for 30 minutes while performing the other steps. After 30 minutes, strain the raisins and set aside.
2. Heat 2 Tbsps. of butter on medium heat in a large (14 inch) non-stick pan. When the butter begins to bubble, add the apples cooking and turning them periodically for 6-8 minutes until they begin to release their liquid. Add the sugar and stir, continue cooking and turning frequently for an additional 20 minutes, until well caramelized.
3. While the apples are cooking and the raisins are soaking, add the flour, salt and pepper to a one gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Then add the pork chops two at a time and shake well to coat the chops.
4. Add the remaining 3 Tbsps. of butter to a stainless braising pan or covered skillet and heat on high.
5. When the butter begins to bubble, add the seasoned pork chops in one layer and brown on high heat for 3 minutes, turn and brown the other side for 3 minutes more.
6. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add the chopped shallots and continue browning the chops for 6 additional minutes, turning after 3 minutes.
7. Shut the heat and add the Calvados, turn the heat to high to boil off the alcohol, add the caramelized apples and strained raisins, cover and let braise for 8 minutes, turning the chops after 5 minutes.
8. Remove the cover, add the chopped herbs and cook for 2 minutes more.
Serve with new potatoes roasted with olive oil, rosemary and kosher salt, and a green vegetable such as buttered peas and shallots or Brussel Sprouts Roasted with Hazel Nuts.
Please see Midnight (and Calvados) in Paris.
Braised Pork Chops with Calvados, Apples and Raisins
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artichoke hearts, chicken, Italian sausage, oregano
In Chicken, Meat, Recipes on June 18, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Ingredients:
10 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
10 sweet Italian sausages
12 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
2/3 cup of flour
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of dry white wine
3 12 oz. jars of marinated and quartered artichoke hearts with their liquid
5 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves removed and chopped
Steps:
1. In a large stainless steel frying pan, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat, add the sausages and brown them until substantially cooked, about 25 minutes. When done, remove them from the pan, let then cool and then cut them into ¾ inch pieces, set aside. Pour off the liquid fat, but leave the frond. Deglaze the pan with one-half of the wine, pour it off the liquid and reserve for step 6. Clean the pan.
2. While the sausages are frying, add the flour to a one-gallon sized zip lock bag and add the black pepper.
3. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and add them, 3 pieces at a time, to the bag. Seal it and shake it well, thoroughly coating the chicken.
4. After all the chicken pieces are floured, add the olive oil to the cleaned frying pan and heat it on medium high, add the garlic and saute until dark brown then remove the garlic.
5. Add the floured chicken pieces without overcrowding them and brown on medium-high for 6 minutes, then turn them and brown for 6 minutes more. (Note, Depending on the size of your pan, you may have to do this in two batches, or use 2 pans for the chicken.) When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pan or pans and deglaze with the remaining wine.
6. Return the chicken to the pan, bring the wine to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium, turn the chicken, add the sausage pieces and their reserved liquid and continue cooking for 3 minutes.
7. Add the artichoke hearts and their liquid to the pan. Raise the heat to high and cook for 5 minutes turning the chicken once or twice.
8. Add the oregano; let the flavors blend by cooking for another two minutes or so while turning the chicken and sausages several times.
Note: This recipe makes enough for about 6 people and can be prepared in advance and reheated.
See Related Article
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