Now
this is what I call a quick and easy chicken dish. Really very little time spent
in either preparation or cooking time.
I
based this dish off of one of my favorite ways to cook chicken breasts – Chicken Piccata (recipe on site). But
unlike my piccata recipe, there is no flour, butter, or chicken stock in this
recipe. (I am trying to cut down on our butter and high carbohydrate consumption,
so this is my stab at eating healthier. Without sacrificing flavor. Not an easy
task, I assure you!)
But
when each of us bit into the chicken last evening, we didn’t feel like we were
missing a thing. Great flavor, great texture, and just the right amount of zing
from the lemon juice and capers. And even a tiny bit of sauce to spread on the
chicken pieces.
And sure, I could have made a meal of the sauce alone. But sauces are not what I should be eating, even if they are one of my favorite food groups.
Unhappily,
my list of food groups is very different than the 5 healthy traditional food groups listed below:
Vegetables
Fruit
Grain
(cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fiber varieties
(And yes, I have 7 in my food groups list.) But there is not one of those categories on my list that I would ever be able to give up without feeling that I was being severely picked upon. But alas, with age some eating habits simply have to change. And hopefully I will continue to realize as I did with this recipe, that it is sometimes much better for us if I gracefully substitute a healthy ingredient for one that is possibly not as good for us.
But never fear. I will still be posting recipes that might cause some health-food conscience foodies to break out in hives. Because I am still alive and great food is still one of the reasons I get out of bed in the morning. I just plan to practice moderation. And continue to create and adapt recipes to better help all of us remain healthy. Stay tuned. In the meantime, give this simple recipe a try. It really is delicious. And easy.
5-6 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs (organic if possible)
kosher
salt
freshly
ground black pepper
2
T. extra virgin olive oil
1/3
c. dry white wine
1
garlic clove, finely minced
juice
of 1 lemon
1
T. drained capers
1 T. chopped Italian parsley
Cut
off any fat or sinew on chicken thighs. Dry off the pieces with a paper towel
and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Heat
the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Add the chicken pieces and cook for
about 3-4 minutes on each side or until light brown and done. Do not overcook.
Remove to a plate. Tent with aluminum foil to help retain heat.
Deglaze
the pan with wine and add the minced garlic. Cook for about a minute and add
lemon juice and capers. Cook until the sauce is about 1/3 reduced.
Place
the cooked chicken back in the pan and turn pieces until both sides are covered
with sauce. Remove from heat; garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
Now,
I have a quest for each of you readers. If you can find an easier and more
delicious way to serve Lamby pops (that’s what we call the individual ribs on a
rack of lamb) please do not hesitate to send me an email with that recipe. But
remember, one of the qualifications is easier. Because I too have an
incredibly delicious recipe for lamby pops already on this site (Rack of Lamb with Kalamata-Rosemary Crust).
But dear friends, it is just a whole lot more work to prepare. (But you should
try it too, because it is really fantastic.)
Anyway,
the main thing I want to convey is that this is an almost foolproof recipe that
can be prepared in minutes. And yes, I am getting more and more inclined to
take the easy road on meal preparation. But having confessed that, I still want
the food I serve to be delicious. I just don’t want to spend as many hours in
the kitchen as I used to.
So
I came up with this take-off of my other recipe and found no fault with it at
all. And to make the whole meal an effortless experience, I oven roasted some
tiny potatoes in a bit of olive oil and herbs, and sliced up a couple of lovely
tomatoes, sprinkled them with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, drizzled
them with balsamic glaze, dribbled on some extra virgin olive oil, and lay a
nice layer of fresh basil chiffonade over the whole works.
All my prep work for this meal took me less than 30 minutes. In fact, I was finished prepping the meal before I finished drinking my before dinner libation. And that almost never happens. So for ease of preparation, overall presentation, and culinary appeal and flavor, I awarded myself the “Carr family spontaneous achievement of the day award”. (I received no resistance from Mr. C. for my self-aggrandizement. He knows on which side his bread is buttered. Smart man!)
4
garlic cloves, rough chopped
2
tsp. finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
3
T. extra-virgin olive oil
1
tsp. Dijon mustard
1
Frenched rack of lamb, (just means you can see the nice shiny bones)
kosher
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Whirl the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and Dijon mustard in
your food processor (use your mini processor if you have one) until the garlic
is finely chopped and the mixture resembles a thick paste. (You probably won’t
get a smooth paste, but that’s not you want anyway. Tiny chunks are your friend
in this case.)
Lightly season the lamb with kosher salt and pepper. Rub the
garlic mixture all over the rack of lamb, but mostly on the fatty side. Place
the rack fat side up on a rimmed baking sheet and let stand at room temperature
for at least an hour.
Roast the lamb in the upper third of a pre-heated 450
degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn the rack over and roast for 5-10 minutes
longer for medium-rare meat. (The internal temperature for medium-rare lamb is
120-125 degrees.) When the meat reaches the desired temperature on your Instant
thermometer, remove from oven and transfer to a carving board. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Cut the racks in between the rib bones and serve immediately.
So
call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think a BBQ picnic is complete without baked
beans. And not the kind of baked beans containing fancy new ingredients like quinoa,
agave nectar, or stevia. I’m talking about the kind of baked beans I’ve been
preparing since my early 20s. Dry beans rehydrated with lots of ketchup, brown
sugar, bacon, onion, rum, Dijon mustard, etc. (OK, I didn’t use rum or Dijon
mustard when I first started making baked beans. But a few concessions for the
sake of flavor simply had to be made as I developed as a cook. And I’m sure my
father, the baked bean maker in our family would agree with each of my
respective inclusions.)
So,
because I consider myself to be am open minded person, and my daughter Paula just
happened to have gifted me with an Instant Pot a couple of Christmas’s ago, I
decided to make this recipe for baked beans a generational mash up.
First
and foremost, baked beans have to be made from scratch. (And yes I have cheated
over the years and purchased a big old can of baked beans and doctored them up
to my liking. But in my defense, that was when I was much younger, still
working, and had kidlets littered about the house. However, now that I am
retired with virtually nothing stopping me from spending hours in the kitchen,
I no longer go that route.)
Anyway,
this recipe contains all of the ingredients I used when I began preparing baked
beans decades ago, except for of course the aforementioned rum and Dijon
mustard.
So
if you too love baked beans, give this recipe a try. And yes it still takes a
good deal of time to bake beans from scratch. But most of the time you are free
to pursue other activities. Very little prep time is involved. The rest of the
time your Instant Pot and oven are doing the heavy work.
So
host a picnic before the summer is over. There is just no better way to spend quality
time with your family and friends than by getting your faces totally smeared
with BBQ sauce, or having your arms and elbows become sodden from the juices
dripping out of a luscious hamburger. Good times my friends. Good times!
And for a recipe for Vegetarian Baked Beans – check out the recipe already on this site.
2
lbs. Great Northern beans, picked over and washed (about 4½ cups dry beans)
8
c. water, plus more as needed
1
lg. yellow onion, chopped, divided
2
tsp. paprika
3
garlic cloves, chopped
2
bay leaves
¾
lb. lean thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
2/3
c. molasses (not blackstrap – too strong)
2
c. ketchup, or more to taste
½
dark rum, opt.
2
T. Worcestershire sauce
2
T. dried parsley
½
tsp. dried thyme leaves
½
tsp. dried savory
1-2
tsp. seasoned salt
freshly
ground black pepper
¼
c. Dijon mustard
1½ c. brown sugar
Place
half of the beans, water, half of the chopped onion, paprika, garlic, and bay
leaves in the Instant Pot. Note the water level for future reference. Set on
high and cook for 35 minutes. (See guide below if not using Great Northern dry
beans.) Once machine is done cooking, allow it to naturally release pressure
for about 20 minutes. Manually release the remaining pressure and carefully
remove the lid. Using a large slotted spoon, lift the beans into a container.
Save the water.
Add
the remaining half of the dry beans and enough water to bring the level in the
pot up to where it was for the first set of beans.
Please note: If you have a large Instant Pot, you may be able to
pressure cook all the dry beans at once. If so, lucky you! I only have a 6
quart pot so I had to cook the beans in 2 batches.
While
the beans are cooking, fry the bacon in a large fry-pan until crisp. Add the
remaining onion and sauté just until translucent. (And no, you don’t drain off
the bacon fat unless there is quite a bit. But with lean bacon you shouldn’t
have too much.) Remove pan from heat and stir in the molasses, ketchup, rum,
Worcestershire sauce, parsley, thyme, savory, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, and
brown sugar.
When
the beans are all cooked, drain off all the water. (Save a couple cups of the
water just in case additional liquid is needed during the baking process.) After
the beans are drained, add them to the fry pan. Taste the sauce and adjust
seasoning as required.
Pour
into an oven proof covered casserole. Cover and bake in a pre-heated 275 degree
oven for about 2 hours. Remove the lid and continue baking for another hour so
that the top can brown nicely. (During the baking time, check the beans
periodically to make sure they aren’t drying out too much. Add reserved Instant
Pot water as needed.)
Remove
from oven and serve warm.
Can
be made ahead, refrigerated, and warmed just before serving.
Although
this is basically a Serbian recipe, Ćevapčići – pronounced chae vap chee
chee (or something like that) is served in some form or another throughout the
Balkan States. Basically Ćevapčići is just a wonderful combination of 3 types
of ground meat, spices, and veggies. When formed into patties, or into the more
traditional shape of small sausages, grilled, then laid in a warm pita and
smothered with Tzatziki, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and chopped white
onion, there is just nothing finer.
And
who told me about this wonderful dish? My PA (Randy) at my dermatologist’s
office. (You just never know when you might meet a foodie.) Life is wonderful.
Right!
Anyway.
You need a new taste sensation? You need a new way to fill a pita bread pocket?
You need an amazing new way to justify eating an inordinate amount of Tzatziki
at a single meal? Well thanks to Randy, you now have it! And while you’re at it
– make some hummus to go along with the meal. (You can never have too much “Mediterranean”
food around. In all our travels, we have never found anything that was made,
grown, or served around the Adriatic and Mediterranean oceans that we didn’t
love!)
So
go a little out of your comfort zone, and treat yourselves to some Ćevapčići. Even
if you just grill this mixture up and serve it like you would a regular all
beef hamburger, you will not be disappointed. Even go without a pita pocket or bun of any kind! Set a new
trend. Be the first on your block! So stop balking and go Balkan in the near
future. You will thank me. I know you will.
Oh, and sorry I haven’t posted any new recipes for a while. We were on vacation and posting our trip report when we got home took precedence over posting a new recipe. But I have some fun recipes to share with you, so keep tuning in.
1
lb. pork sausage
1
lb. ground beef
1
lb. ground lamb
1
egg white
1
T. Hungarian paprika
1
tsp. baking soda
1
tsp. kosher salt
¼
tsp. cayenne pepper
freshly
ground black pepper
1
c. finely chopped onion
4
cloves garlic, minced
2
T. finely chopped Italian parsley
warm
pita bread, opt.
Tzatziki
(recipe below), opt.
shredded
lettuce, opt.
chopped
tomato, opt.
chopped white onion, opt.
Combine
the pork sausage, beef, and lamb together in a large bowl. Whisk the egg white,
garlic, onion, parsley, paprika, baking soda, salt, cayenne, and black pepper
together in another bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the meat and mush together
with your hands.
Form
into fairly thick patties about 3½-inches in diameter. Place on a waxed paper
lined platter. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Grill over 350 degree heat, 4-5 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and kind of spongy. Serve in warm pita bread with Tzatziki, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, and chopped white onion.
TZATZIKI
2
T. extra virgin olive oil
2
c. plain Greek Yogurt
3
small or 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced
½
tsp. dill weed
¼
tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
freshly
ground black pepper
1
English cucumber, partially peeled, seeded, grated, and allowed to drain for a
few minutes in a colander
Combine
all ingredients. Adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Once in a while I
get an idea that won’t stop nagging at me. And the inspiration for this recipe
came as one of those thoughts that just would not go away!
And I’m glad it didn’t. Because the result was this recipe that is ever so much
easier not only to prepare, but to eat than a regular chicken cordon bleu.
Now the first
time I prepared this dish, I made the mistake of not making enough sauce. The
casserole came out too dry. (My own fault since I glommed this recipe together
from several I looked at on the internet.) But having eliminated that problem
by doubling the sauce part, this is now a dish fit to serve company. Very
tasty, and can be prepared ahead of time. I love that in a casserole.
So if you too
love chicken cordon blue, but don’t appreciate the mess associated with the
real thing, give this dish a try. It’s lovely. Great flavor and even a nice
presentation.
And a general apology to our guests Tim & Susie, Todd & Cindy for having to eat my first attempt at this recipe. This version is much better. Honest it is!
And sorry about no photo of the casserole. Must have been brain dead. Just imagine a Pyrex dish with browned crumbs on the top and you have the whole picture. So to speak.
Chicken:
2 T. unsalted
butter
4 boneless,
skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch cubes
kosher salt
freshly ground
black pepper
Heat the butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken cubes lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper. Fry just until cooked through. Do not over-cook. Remove pan from heat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a roughly 9×13-inch casserole or glass Pyrex dish. Set aside. Pour the remaining liquid from the fry pan into a 4 cup measuring implement. Set aside.
Sauce:
6
T. unsalted butter
3
cloves garlic, finely minced
6
T. all-purpose flour
3
c. whole milk (approximately)
1
tsp. chicken bouillon
3-4
T. Dijon mustard, or to taste
1½
c. grated Parmesan cheese
kosher
salt
freshly
ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a heavy pan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add enough milk to the reserved chicken frying liquid to make 4 cups. Slowly pour in the milk mixture while whisking quickly to avoid lumps. Add the chicken bouillon. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Casserole Assembly:
12 slices deli
ham (about ½ lb.), cut into small pieces (I use Black Forrest ham)
12 oz. shredded Swiss
cheese, or more to taste
2 T. unsalted
butter
2 c. Panko bread
crumbs
Scatter
about half the cut ham over the cooked chicken pieces. Evenly place the grated
Swiss cheese over the first bit of ham. Scatter the remaining ham over the
cheese. Spread the sauce evenly over the top.
Melt
the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Remove pan
from heat and stir in the panko. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Note: If you are making this dish ahead
of time, don’t add the Panko topping until just before you pop the casserole in
the oven.
Bake
in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is browned
and the casserole is bubbling. The last half of the baking time can be
convection. (This will help brown the top.) Remove from oven and let sit for
about 5 minutes before serving.
OK, I know I am probably
alone here, but I actually like homemade pizza better than 90% of the pizza
found in restaurants. The 10% that I like better is baked in Italy but I simply
can’t afford to fly to Rome every time I get a pizza craving! No duh!!!! And I
have to admit; the part about actually being in Italy probably has something to
do with my feeling that the best pizza is made there. I do so love Italy!
Now of course, intrinsic
to my preference for homemade pizza I include the fact that I have friends who
make incredible pizza in and outside of their own homes. Our dear friends Chip
and Linda who own the Quillayute River Resort* in Forks, WA have an Italian
pizza oven in their home. And Chip is a master bread baker. So between the
amazing crust that he prepares from scratch and the oven that is designed for
the purpose, Chip’s pizzas are amazing. And our great friend Tim in Anacortes
also prepares fantastic pizzas. He actually bakes his creations on his grill.
Fabulous.
But I do neither.
I use my oven. I crank the sucker up to 475 degrees, bake the pizza on the
bottom rack, and use the convection setting. That’s as far as I am willing to
go to insure tasty pizza. I simply can’t foresee a real pizza oven in my
future. And if I tried baking pizza on our grill, I would either burn myself or
worse yet, burn down the house. (I am not a grill queen. And I don’t want to
task Mr. C. with a grill assignment I am unwilling to try myself. We have our
positive attributes, but mechanical aptitude is not one of them! Two spatulas,
hot flames. Not going to happen!) So we are stuck with pizza ala Chez Carr.
In my opinion, the
first thing about any good pizza is the crust. And I happen to like thin crust.
I want it to have flavor, but not so much that it detracts from the rest of the
ingredients. The second thing I think is essential to the overall appeal of a
pizza is the sauce. For years I would make a tiny bit of sauce and spread it on
very lightly. Wrong! The sauce is important. It should be very flavorful and should
not be used sparingly.
The next
ingredient that is super important – cheese. Gotta have plenty of cheese or why
bother?
And then
pepperoni, Italian sausage, chopped onion, black olives, mushrooms, and bell
pepper. What is not to like in this combination? For me it is the very definition
of pizza. But I live with a guy who likes pesto sauce or a white pizza sauce,
so I am going to be trying out recipes with more contemporary ingredients in
the next few months. If you have a favorite I would love to hear from you.
But in the meantime, give this recipe a try. Your kids will love it. They won’t even notice the whole grain flour in the crust. They might not like the extra onions or bell pepper pieces. But the great thing about pizza is that you can add ingredients to one part of the pizza, and leave them off the other side. Everyone gets what they want and everyone is happy. Now how often does that happen with any other dish? Bon appetito!
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust:
¾ c. + 1 T.
lukewarm water
1 pkg. or
1 scant T. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 c. whole-wheat
pastry flour
1 c. bread flour
½ tsp. kosher
salt
extra virgin
olive oil
Place water,
yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir with your bread hook. Let
stand until the yeast has dissolved and starts to look bubbly, about 5 minutes.
Stir in whole-wheat flour, most of the 1 cup of the bread flour, and the salt
until the dough begins to come together. Add enough remaining flour to make a smooth,
elastic ball of dough that pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl, about
4 to 5 minutes.
Pour a small
amount of olive oil over the dough and turn to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen
tea towel or plastic wrap. Let sit for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Punch down. While the dough rises, prepare the pizza sauce and get the topping
ingredients ready.
When the dough is ready, punch it down. Spread it out on a lightly greased large pizza pan or baking sheet. Spread the dough as thin as possible. Form a small rim by pinching edge of dough.
Stir all ingredients together until thick and smooth.
Pizza Toppings: (my favorite)
sliced
or shredded mozzarella cheese (about ¾ lb.)
1
lb. crumbled cooked bulk Italian sausage
1
lb. pepperoni slices
½
c. chopped onion
¾
c. halved black olives
1
c. sliced mushrooms
½
of a bell pepper, chopped
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
Pizza Assembly:
Spread
the pizza crust with a nice thick layer of pizza sauce. (Lots of sauce is best!
If you don’t use it all, put the rest in the freezer for the next time you get
a pizza craving or make marinara sauce.)
Spread
about a third of the mozzarella over the sauce, then add the other topping
ingredients. Finish with the rest of the mozzarella and the grated Parmesan.
Bake
in a pre-heated 475 degree oven on the lowest rack for 12-14 minutes or until
the cheese is bubbly and the crust is browned. Let sit for 3-4 minutes before
slicing.
And of course you can change topping amounts, add or delete toppings, do whatever you want to your hearts content. Other topping ingredients we enjoy – sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and anchovy fillets (when we are feeling worthy).
*Quillayute River Resort
Nestled in a secluded forest by the Quillayute River, this relaxed, all-suite resort is 7 miles from La Push Beach and 16 miles from Bogachiel State Park.
The cozy 1-bedroom suites feature full kitchens with vintage-style appliances, as well as living areas with fireplaces and pull-out sofas. All have satellite TV, free Wi-Fi and heated bathroom floors, plus covered porches with river views and BBQ grills.
Each of the five riverside housekeeping suites have a comprehensively-equipped kitchen with charming, completely refurbished 1950s era appliances, and new pots, pans, dishes, and utensils – everything you need. Kitchens also come equipped with toasters, blenders, electric hand mixers, microwaves, coffee makers, coffee, salt, and pepper.
Bedrooms have either 2 double beds or 1 King size bed, DISH TV with ESPN, and DVD/CD players. Other amenities in all the suites include DSL Internet connections, clock radios, telephones, and a collection of books for the non-electronically inclined.
Relax in the comfort of your living room while you watch the river flow and cozy up next to the fireplace.
Bathrooms are equipped with heated tile floors, hair dryers, full-size bathtubs, and EO Products – Organic Skin and Hair Care Products soaps, bath gels, and lotions.
Each suite has its own set of deck chairs and a charcoal barbeque on the covered porch overlooking the river. Each suite is also separated from the next by an enclosed garage.
I
want you to know just how brave I have become. I have actually used my Instant
Pot 3 times in the last few weeks. Amazing right? And I must say in all honesty
– what in the heck was I worried about? My Instant Pot is so easy to use, and
so far the results have been terrific. OK, I still don’t sauté in my Instant
Pot because I like to control that step on my stove top. But cook dried beans,
or in this case meat that would normally have to simmer for hours, well I am
now so on board the Instant Pot train! And the pot is even easy to clean!
Better and better.
So
the other day I got a wild hair to make a shredded beef enchilada. I love
Mexican food, and already had a great recipe for Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce (the best red sauce you
could ever hope to create at home BTW), but my mouth was craving shredded beef.
So I went on line and glommed together this recipe. And I must say it filled my
expectations and then some. And easy? Oh yah!
So
if you too have been the least bit hesitant to use your Instant Pot, get over
your fears and give this recipe a try. I topped the enchiladas with homemade Pico de Gallo (on site) and sour cream.
And served Mexican Cabbage Salad (see recipe below) and Instant Pot refried
pinto beans on the side. (Beans recipe to be posted in the next few days.)
And if you love shredded beef enchiladas as much as I do, make this recipe at your earliest convenience. It is just plain yummy. And if you have extra meat, don’t hesitate to freeze it for the next time you experience an enchilada craving.
2
T. extra virgin olive oil
3
lb. boneless chuck roast, all visible fat and gristle removed, and cut into
3-inch pieces
1
c. beef broth
juice
of 1 lime
1
sm. can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2
tsp. chili powder
2
tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
2
tsp. ground cumin
1
tsp. paprika
1
tsp. kosher salt
¼
tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
¼
tsp. ground cloves
freshly
cracked black pepper
1
can (lg. or sm.) chopped green chilies
1
sm. yellow onion, rough chopped
4
cloves garlic, rough chopped
2
bay leaves
flour tortillas, warmed on a dry griddle
Heat
olive oil in a large frying pan. Brown all the pieces of meat and place them in
your Instant Pot. Add more olive oil if necessary. (The beef chunks should be
very well browned on all sides.) Don’t wash the fry pan. Pour off any fat, but
leave the brown bits for later.
In
a medium sized bowl, whisk the broth, lime juice, tomato sauce, chili powder,
oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, crushed red pepper flakes, ground cloves, and
black pepper together. Stir in the canned green chilies, chopped onion, chopped
garlic, and bay leaves.
Pour
over the meat and give the whole mess a good stir.
Place
the lid on the instant pot and lock. Steam release knob should be set on
“sealing”. Cook on manual setting (high pressure) for 60 minutes.
Allow pressure to release naturally.
Remove
beef from pressure cooker and shred with 2 forks, discarding any fat.
Pour
the remaining liquid from the Instant Pot into the fry pan. Discard the bay
leaves. Heat and stir up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. If the sauce
is not thick enough, make a simple water and cornstarch slurry (1 to 1 water
and cornstarch mixture) and add to the meat juices. Bring to a boil, and whisk
until smooth and sauce reaches desired consistency. Add shredded beef to pan. Adjust
seasoning. Cook until warm.
Fill
warmed tortillas with meat, roll, and top with Pico de Gallo and sour cream. Or
whatever your heart desires. Meat can also be used as a filling for tacos or on
a taco salad. Let your imagination be your guide.
Note: I have not tried making this shredded beef the more traditional way. That is on either my cook top or in the oven, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t turn out just fine. Just check it every hour or so to make sure the beef is not getting too dry. Add water or beef broth as required.
MEXICAN CABBAGE SALAD
½ small head
cabbage, chopped
1 jalapeno
pepper, seeded and minced
½ small red
onion, minced
1 carrot, shredded
1 T. chopped
fresh cilantro
juice of 1 lime
pinch kosher salt
freshly ground
black pepper
In
a bowl, mix together the cabbage, jalapeno pepper, red onion, carrot, cilantro,
lime juice, salt, and pepper. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
This
salad would also make a great accompaniment to fish tacos. Just sayin’!
I’m
always looking for delicious ways to prepare fish. And we love cod. But cod is
not a strong flavored fish, so that means it needs a little flavor boost from
either the method of preparation or from the sauce it is served with. But Mr.
C. is a strong believer that not only should the fish itself be flavorful,
there simply must be a sauce or aioli to create perfection.
So yesterday I went on line and found yet another combination of spices that sounded appealing. I messed with the amounts, but the spice combination itself comes from the Kitchen Stewardship site and calls itself “St. Peter’s Seasoning”. It’s really a wonderful spice blend. (I’ve only been looking for the perfect fried fish recipe for 50 some years now. And this comes as close as any that I have tried. I added the flour, cornmeal, and milk part, and that worked very well with the spice combination. This is now my go-to recipe when I want a really tasty fried fish. And just in case you were worried. This coating is spicy, but not crazy spicy. And of course, you can always cut down or totally eliminate the cayenne pepper from the recipe.)
So please give this recipe a try. Although I used cod last evening, I think it would work just as well with halibut or any other firm fleshed fin critter. Happy dining.
1
T. granulated garlic
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. paprika
1½ tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1½ tsp. dried oregano leaves (ground in a mortar & pestle)
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves (ground in a mortar & pestle)
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
½
c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3
c. finely ground cornmeal
½
c. milk
2
lb. fresh cod (the thicker the fillets the better), cut into portion size
pieces
veggie oil
Blend
the granulated garlic, salt, paprika, onion powder, pepper, oregano, thyme, and
cayenne pepper together in a shallow pan. Whisk in the flour and cornmeal. Set
aside.
Pour
the milk in another shallow pan. Place the cod in the milk, turn the fillets so
that all sides have been exposed to the milk, and refrigerate for 20-25
minutes.
Pour enough oil in a fry pan to coat the bottom. Heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, remove the fish from the milk and coat with the flour/corn meal/spices mixture. Fry the fish until it is nicely browned. Carefully flip and cook the second side of the fish until it too is nicely browned. Remove the fish to a wire rack and serve immediately. I like to serve this fish with a simple tartar sauce. (See recipe below)
Simple Tartar Sauce:
¾
c. light mayonnaise
2
small garlic cloves, finely minced
1
tsp. finely grated lemon peel
4
tsp. fresh lemon juice
1-2
T. finely chopped dill pickle
1
T. finely minced onion
¼
tsp. kosher salt
freshly
ground black pepper
Combine
all ingredients. Refrigerate until needed.
Yesterday was a
swell day. I made a few more reservations for our upcoming trip to Eastern
Europe, got caught up on my “to do” list, and tried a new recipe featuring
flank steak. (How could a day be more perfect than that?) Well – the only thing
that would have made it even better is if I’d remembered to take a picture of
the flank steak before we gobbled it down! But hey! I’m kind of out of the
habit since I haven’t been posting recipes as regularly as usual. (Four weeks on
a trailer trip and then two weeks of planning our next trip, is my only
excuse!)
But I’m back now
and eager to share exciting new recipes with you like this one I modified from the
Skinny Taste site.
As I mentioned a
few weeks ago, I have been on an Asian food kick for months now. So when it
came time to think about last evenings’ dinner, I went searching for an Asian
inspired marinade for the flank steak that was thawing in my sink. And I found
this marvelous and simple recipe.
Mr. C. grilled the steak to perfection, and along with purchased frozen pot stickers “fried” in my air fryer and Sunomono Salad (on this site), we supped royally last evening.
So next time you
want a simple and delicious flank steak for dinner, give this recipe a try. And
if you have never cooked a flank steak, you are in for even more of a treat. So
easy to prepare and the taste is simply marvelous. Just don’t cook the pickles
out of it! If you don’t like your beef steak on the rare side, walk away from
this recipe. Flank steak will get tough if you cook it too long. It will also
loose flavor.
But, I would encourage you not to go to the other extreme either. Not with flank steak. Flank steak is at its best when medium rare. If you like your steak truly rare or even blue rare, then grill a flatiron or top sirloin steak instead. (And yes, I love rare steak as much as the next gal. Moo….) But different cuts of steak are simply tastier when cooked properly. And flank steak is no exception. Medium rare. Repeat after me – medium rare! Thank you. (And enjoy!)
¼ c. reduced sodium soy sauce or Tamari
1 T. vegetable oil
2 T. honey
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
4 thinly minced green onions, divided
1 tsp. seasoned or regular rice vinegar
1 lb. flank steak, trimmed of all fat and silver skin
In
a medium-size bowl, combine the soy sauce, vegetable oil, honey, sesame oil, garlic,
ginger, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and half of the minced green
onions. Remove 3 tablespoons of the marinade and combine it with the rice
vinegar in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
Place
remaining marinade and steak in a 1-gallon re-sealable bag (remove as much air
as possible) or in the bottom of a small shallow container (cover the pan with
plastic wrap). Refrigerate for at least 6
hours or for up to 12 hours. Turn the steak every hour or so during this time. Remove
from refrigerator about 45 minutes before you plan to grill the meat.
Remove
the steak from the bag or pan and discard the marinade.
Set
the grill to high heat. Carefully grease the grill with some oil. Once the
grill is hot, add the steak.
Cover
and cook the steak until well browned, about 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and
cook until desired doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a thermometer to make
certain the temperature doesn’t surpass 122 degrees for a perfect medium rare steak.
(If you cook flank steak until no pink is showing, it will be tough.)
Remove
from grill, and tent with aluminum foil for about 10 minutes before slicing
very thinly against the grain and on a diagonal. Garnish with the remaining
green onions. Serve immediately. Pass the reserved marinade as a sauce.
OK,
I am never going to buy bottled teriyaki sauce again. (Of course I might have
to if I’m traveling, but if I’m at home, there is no reason to spend the money
or to settle for a product that is less than perfect.) Because in making this
dish the other evening, I was blown away by the complex flavor in this simple
recipe for teriyaki sauce.
Now
one thing you should know. This is an Emeril Lagasse recipe. And if I had the
opportunity, I would kiss his toes. He really understands food. So after saying
that, I need to give full disclosure. I changed his recipe to fit my way of
preparing food. (Now there’s a new concept, right?!?!)
But truly, any way you look at it, this is a dish fit for the Gods. It’s simple. It’s delicious. It’s NW cuisine at its finest. (Well NW with an inspired Asian (via New Orleans) influence.) Just make it soon. It is over the top amazing. Thank you dear Emeril.
1/3
c. mirin or rice wine
½
c. soy sauce
1
T. sugar
2
tsp. minced gingerroot
1
garlic clove, minced
pinch
cayenne
2
(6-7-oz.) halibut fillets
minced green onions, as garnish
Combine
the mirin, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and cayenne in a small saucepan
and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until reduced to a syrup like
consistency, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat. (Don’t reduce too much.)
Pour
a thin layer of the sauce/syrup in the bottom of a lightly greased baking pan.
Place the halibut fillets skin side up in the sauce. Marinate for 1 hour.
After
an hour bake the halibut in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or
until the flesh is opaque and the internal temperature has reached 140 degrees.
Remove from oven and serve flesh side up garnished with green onions. Pass the
remaining teriyaki sauce. Great with Asian
Flavored Steamed Rice (on this site) and a steamed green veggie.
All
I can say is – don’t be daft! Make the sauce, but at least double the recipe.
This is truly the teriyaki sauce you have always dreamed of. But if you are
like me, never quite achieved!
So
Emeril, you Asian (not) darling – thank you. I shall forever be in your debt. And
if you ever desire a Camano Island experience, we (Mr. C. and I) are here for
you! Mi casa es tu casa!
