Theresa's foray into cooking meat: Steak with gorgonzola sauce.

When I first started experimenting in the kitchen (circa 2004), I was a near-vegetarian, some would say pescatarian (or just call me picky). As a result, cooking with meat has always been a challenge. I am adept at any ground meat or fish (hard to screw up!) but shy away from a good ol' steak. I decided it was time to get out of that rut. I was assisted by a seasoned meat eater, sometimes meat cooker (albeit on the grill). We explained our dilemma to the Whole Foods meat counter guy and he recommended a top sirloin, which, lucky for us, was on sale.

Here's what you'll need:
About a lb of steak
8 oz of blue cheese (we went with gorgonzola)
one red onion
some butter
red pepper flakes
garlic
some sour cream (optional)
parsley (fresh is better, dry will do)

For sides, I had sweet potatoes and white asparagus on hand. Pretty much any potato, veggie combo would go nicely with this steak (dousing anything in blue cheese sauce is a sure crowd pleaser).

First sides: I up some sweet potatoes, added a good strong coating of olive oil, salt and pepper, and a bit of cinnamon and cayenne. They went into the oven at 400 for about 20 minutes (check frequently - I got involved in a conversation and they ended up quite crispy). Start the steak in the meantime. After they came out, and while I was doing the finishing touches on the steak, I covered the asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper in the broiler for about five minutes with a pinch of lemon juice.

The Steak: I sliced the red onion and sauteed on medium high in a little bit of olive oil and butter until soft. I added the garlic and a bit of salt and pepper. I turned down the heat and started adding the cheese, stirring frequently.

At this point, get some butter nice and hot in a separate pan and then add the steak, cooking to your desired rareness. [I let my sous chef handle this, but if you don't do meat, just google. Post suggestions in the comments].

As the cheese melts down, add about 2 tbls of white wine and a bit of sour cream along with some red pepper flakes. Turn off the heat. When the steak is ready, add 1/4 c. water to the drippings and boil for two minutes. Stir the water/drippings/butter mixture into the cheese sauce. If you haven't satisfied your saturated fat intake for the year at this point, you could consider adding a tiny bit of bacon or prosciutto to the sauce.

Prepare a plate with steak, asparagus and potatoes. Drizzle blue cheese sauce over steak (or the whole thing!) Top with chopped parsley.

Yum.

Saturday Night Winebalaya

Or the way a frugal Yankee (redundant?) learns the meaning of lagniappe when applied to jambalaya. Thanks to Pat "Papa" MacAlinden for the euphemism.

I started making this recipe decades ago. I was once described by my brother as a cooking one-trick-pony because it was my go-to recipe for many family functions. Another brother forbade me from cooking in his kitchen for years after making winebalaya there one night. My blessed mother just groaned at the mere mention of its name.

In Chautauqua, one year, I toiled while guests ate bread and drank wine for so long we could not eat it that night, but, oh, did we feast in the morning (it makes a wonderful omelet stuffing.)

I have filled pots and vats and bellies and tupperware in four time zones, I once bought a 32 quart pot to cook it for a bachelor party. I have made it in a beach house, at 9000+ feet, in a hotel room on a hot plate, in one room garrets and in a luxury high-rise apartment who's owner waxed nostalgic that he smelled it for a week after we cooked it when he got off the elevator on his floor.

It is something that begs the company of friends and family, of a conversation where we get to know one another, or catch up after a long time apart. It demands no great skills, no expensive equipment, it needs no timer, and it is really kinda cheap to make.

I will include a stock I have formulated for it, but one may use a packaged chicken stock or one's own homemade stock if one desires.

Winebalaya

4 quarts stock
1 lbs andouille or kielbasa or linguica or Italian sausage, chopped bite sized
2 lbs chicken meat, your call, boneless, skinless breast or a cut up fryer
2 medium yellow onion chopped
4 stalks celery chopped
2 bell peppers chopped
1 jalapeno minced pepper, seeds are up to you
1 banana minced pepper, seeds are up to you
1 Anaheim minced pepper, seeds are up to you
2 28 ounce cans of whole peeled tomatoes, tomatoes crushed by hand (trust me on this)
17 cloves of minced garlic (or your discretion)
.75 liters red wine, something you like (again, trust me)
3 cups long grain rice
1 bunch scallion, chopped
1 bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

Brown the chicken on all sides (Mario Batali, the great chef, once said the most common mistake a home cook makes is not letting things brown to the mahogany brown that builds rich restaurant flavor) and reserve.
Brown the sausage (see above) and reserve
Sweat the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and hot peppers (this is my school of slow heat, you may want to add some of the hot peppers with the bell peppers at the end for a brighter heat. Same with the garlic)
Add tomatoes with juice and stock and 1/3 of the wine

Simmer for 1/2 hour, add 1/3 more wine and the chicken and sausage. Simmer for another 1/2hour add last 1/3 of the wine and bring to a boil. Add the rice. Cover and turn the heat down until the rice is al dente, soft or exploded and mushy, rice texture is up to you.

Add the parsley, scallions, bell peppers, and any remaining garlic or hot peppers. I let the whole thing sit on the stove for a while at this point. There is enough residual heat in this pot to melt all the ice in your freezer if you put the pot into the refrigerator, if you want to defrost the freezer feel free.

I like to serve this after about 20 minutes of resting on the stove. This is easily a main dish or one-pot-meal in the classic sense. Maybe serve it with a green salad and some crusty bread.


Stock:
3 lbs stock bones
1 onion, rough chopped
6 cloves garlic, rough chopped
4 ribs celery, rough chopped
3 medium carrots rough chopped
3 tbsp oil
5 quarts water

Heat oil over med-high heat in a large heavy stew pot or dutch oven until shimmering. Caramelize bones until brown on all sides (Remember Mario).Add the remaining ingredients and sweat until tender. Add water and simmer hard for 90 minutes until reduced by 1/5, strain and reserve stock.

J&T

Lamb Parsnip Tomato Sauce over Penne

I made this the other night. It's a quick, easy and relatively healthy little meal that I found on Epicurious. Enjoy!

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 very large onion, sliced (about 4 cups)
  
• 12 ounces medium parsnips (about 4), peeled, cut on slight diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 4 garlic cloves, minced [I used two small cloves]
  
• 8 ounces ground lamb
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 14 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice [I used 2.5 cans]
  
• 12 ounces penne
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Crumbled feta cheese

Saute onions and parsnips in olive oil on medium high heat until softened (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and continue to saute for one minute. Add lamb, and saute until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon, about 2 minutes. Add cinnamon and a healthy amount of salt and pepper. Add tomatoes with juice and boil it up. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until parsnips are tender, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook pasta in water. Drain. Top with sauce, feta and parsley. Eat!

German Hummus- Sounds like a contradiction but it is only called that because I love hummus and I am German. So anyways this has always been a staple for me when I was experimenting with vegetarianism or happily and unregrettably eating flesh. Yum!!

Ingredients:
2 cans chick peas
4-6 cloves garlic, depending on your level of garliciness
couple of dashes of cumin
dash of salt and pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tbsp olive oil
(optional tahini sauce)
Pita bread
carrot sticks
cucumber slices ect,,,,

Operations:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and chop just enough to where the chick peas are nicely blended. Warm up pita bread and serve with veggies!! Enjoy!!

~~Also good in wraps~~

Those Cherry Lane Dogs

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Enjoy!

Beer Can Chickens

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Jon’s Shepherds Pie with Cauliflower & Squash Topping

Jon’s Shepherds Pie with Cauliflower & Squash Topping

April 2003, vegetarian: July 2003

 

Topping:

1 pound butternut or acorn squash

1 pound cauliflower – fresh or frozen

4 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 large egg

Paprika—garnish

 

Filling:

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup chopped onions

2 cloves minced garlic

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

10 ounces beef broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

 

Prepare the Topping: Note: I use all of either a medium sized butternut squash or a larger acorn squash for the top.  The butternut makes the topping more orange in color, they both taste wonderful.  I prepare either squash by cutting them lengthwise in half, clean out the seeds and place them cut-side down in ½ inch warm water in a baking dish and bake in the oven at 400° F. for 30min, then turn over, if needed, and bake till tender, 15-30 minutes.  I then drain, cool and finally spoon out all the tender squash meat into a mixing bowl.  At the same time I take an entire head of cauliflower (remove leaves and the heart) and steam it until tender.  Then drain and cool and likewise put in the mixing bowl with the squash.  Add the butter (soft), cream (1/3 cup at a time), egg and seasonings.  Mash until fluffy in the mixer.  Set aside.

 

Prepare the Filling: In a large fry pan, heat the oil, add the onions and garlic, sauté until tender.  Add the ground beef, cook till browned. Drain any extra fat.  Add the seasonings.  Mix the cornstarch with the beef broth, mix thoroughly then pour into the ground beef mixture, cook & stir until it thickens.  Check to see if the seasoning needs adjusting.  Pour into a 9” X 13” baking dish (I like one that is deep), smooth then spoon on topping.  Sprinkle with paprika and bake in a pre-heated 350° F. oven for 45 minutes or until hot, bubbly and the topping is lightly browned.  Serve with a low carb salad or vegetables.

 

Vegetarian Pie:  Make as above except: delete the ground beef and the beef broth, replace the beef broth with 10 oz of vegetable stock/broth.  Replace ground beef with a TVP product like: Morningstar Farms Grillers Burger style (use 2 twelve oz packages)

 

Appetizers

Melted Brie with wine-sauced fruit

 

 

Your guests may have enjoyed the oozy translucence of melted Brie before, but they’ve probably never experienced it quite like this—surrounded with the fruits and nuts of this wondrous season.

 

 

1            medium apple or pear, cored, peeled and chopped

1/3            cup snipped pitted dates

¼            cup dried currants or raisins

3            tablespoons rosé wine or apple juice

¼            cup chopped pecans, toasted

2             8-ounce rounds Brie cheese (each about 4 inches in diameter

2             tablespoons apple jelly, melted

Assorted crackers or toasted baguette slices.

 

1. In a small bowl, combine chopped apple or pear, snipped dates, currants or raisins, and wine or apple juice.  Cover and let stand for 2 hours; do not drain.  Stir in toasted pecans.
2. Preheat oven to 350º F.  Cut one Brie round in half horizontally.  Place one-half Brie round, cut side up, in an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.  Top with one-fourth of the fruit mixture (about 1/3 cup). Top with the remaining half of the Brie round, cut side down.  Top with another one-fourth of the fruits mixture (about 1/3 cup)
3. Bake, uncovered in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minuets or until Brie is softened and warm.  Drizzle top with 1 tablespoon of the melted jelly.
4. Repeat with remaining Brie round, fruit mixture, and apple jelly.  Serve with cracker or toasted baguette slices.  Makes 10 to 12 servings.

 

From the kitchen of Sharon Bayer

Recipe Call!

Mars and I want a new and interesting appetizer to make! It should be easy, meaty and taste good with wine.

Beer Can Fryers and Out-of-Bird Stuffing with Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto. 

The beer cans don't really fit a fryer-sized chicken, so I modified them with some tin snips. I seasoned the chicken with a salt-pepper-bay-herb-Du-Provence mixture ground in a little coffee grinder I keep around for just that. I filled the beer can 2/3 from the top with beer, garlic, one bay leaf, and herb Du Provence. I roasted the fryers for 75-80 minutes @375f. Perfect. 

While they were roasting I browned off the tips of the wings, the necks, livers and such, and 2 cups mirepoix. I added 2 quarts of water, bay leaves, garlic cloves, veggie scraps and some miso-liquid (soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce will do) and simmered that for the duration of the roasting. This stock I will use for a risotto. 

Meanwhile I cubed some chiabatta bread and toasted it in the oven for 10 minutes. I sauteed an onion and garlic until soft, browned some smoked sausage then added a table-spoon of Dijon mustard (Maille is my favorite) and combined. Stirred in the bread and a mixture of 2 cups of an egg and milk. Combining all of that in a casserole dish and covered with foil, 45 minutes in the oven (last 10 minutes uncovered) for an out-of-bird stuffing.

20 minutes before those above dishes are ready, I started the risotto. Sweated an onion and some garlic, chopped finely, reserved. Browned some mushrooms, reserved w/ onion. Chopped a bunch of asparagus into 1 inch segments, and blanched. Threw the woody ends into the stock. Strained bones and veg out of the stock and tasted for re-seasoning. Toasted a medium grain rice until opaque, added strained, simmering stock, 1 cup at a time until almost adente, added reserved onion, garlic, mushrooms, and asparagus. I added some yogurt at the very end to provide tang and creamy texture. If you have fresh herbs, chop them and throw them on the top. Always taste for re-seasoning.

When chicken and stuffing are done I rest them for at least 10 minutes. Now sit down and eat. 

Any drippings can be I add to any extra stock. Refrigerate that and strain off the fat. Then freeze it.

I cannot stress the ease of making  stock. If you have the skin of an onion, a bone (raw or cooked) and a pot full of water, and 45 minutes, you should make stock. If you make salad or trim vegetables for a dish freeze the scraps in a bag and the next time to have some time, like when you are doing laundry or raking leaves, make some stock, it is good for you. The versatility of this frozen stock cannot be summed up in one page of blog space.

Beer Can Chickens

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Recipe Call...I want do something with pears and onions

I'm headed to a dinner party tonight and need an easy, yummy app. I have some ripe pairs and farmer's market onions at home. What cheese and spices would work well to turn this into a tasty bruschetta?