Category Archives: MAIN DISH RECIPES

BAKED HALIBUT WITH SOUR CREAM AND DILL

So, here we are in the middle of Colorado, and all I can think about is fresh seafood baked in a savory sauce. (Suffice it to say I ignored my taste buds and ordered the only sensible alternative – green chili.) And as I have told you before, you want great green chili – go to Colorado. (Or any of the surrounding states, I might add.) See my recipe for Green Chili Sauce with Pork if you too are a green chili lover.

But back to seafood….. So when we got home, of course one of the first dinners I prepared was this wonderful and easy preparation for halibut. BTW, it’s great with any firm fleshed fish. (Pardon the alliteration.)

So next time you have a hankering for seafood that’s a little bit dressy and really, really good, give this recipe a try. It’s a great company dish. And although it’s not as calorie pure as simple baked fish with a squeeze of lemon, it’s not that bad either. As I have heard it said – moderation in all things. (Like I have even a modicum of understanding when it comes to moderation!) But it sounds good, right?

Hope you enjoy the recipe.

1-1½ lbs. fresh halibut fillet
¼ c. finely diced green onion
½ c. sour cream (I use Tillamook light sour cream)
¼ tsp. fresh or dried dill
¼ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese (don’t use more or the cheese flavor will overpower the fish)
freshly ground black pepper
paprika

Place halibut skin side down in a baking dish. (No skin, butter the baking dish before adding the fish.) Combine the green onion, sour cream, dill weed, cheese, and pepper. Slather over the top of the fish. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the halibut is barely baked through. (The fish is done when it is opaque all the way through when slashed in the thickest part or an instant-read thermometer reads 156 degrees.) If you have a convection oven, turn on the convection fan about 15 minutes into the baking process. When the fish is done, remove from oven; lightly sprinkle with paprika and let sit a couple of minutes before serving. Great served over lightly steamed spinach with coleslaw on the side.

HUNGARIAN PAPRIKÁS CSIRKE (CHICKEN PAPRIKA)

This is one of Mr. Cs favorite dishes. The original recipe came to me from my dear friend Dodie. Her in-laws had immigrated to America from Hungary. And apparently Dodie’s mother-in-law was an amazing cook. I of course had to mess with the recipe to get it down to a manageable size, since the original recipe started off with 12-14 meaty whole pieces of chicken. All the original ingredients are still in my version, but several steps have been eliminated to allow for a more manageable preparation time. But my dear husband, whom I regard as a “chicken paprika connoisseur” is adamant that none of the flavor demonstrated in the original recipe has been sacrificed in the reconstruction.

So ladies and gentlemen, I give you a very easy and delicious recipe for the Hungarian classis – Chicken Paprikash. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we do.

And about the 1 hour of letting the finished dish sit before re-heating and serving it. Well the only thing I can say is that I have always adhered to this step offered in the original recipe and have no idea what the results would taste like if I served the dish before it had that hour to sit and mellow. I suppose it would be alright if you chose to give it a go before the resting period. But for me, I’m not going to mess with the original recipe any more than I already have. I’m not so sophisticated as to believe that spirit’s might not actually exist. So the last thing I want to experience, if only in a dream, is the spirit of the fine woman who’s recipe I have altered to come after me with a live chicken in one hand and a meat cleaver in the other. I’m sure even spirit’s have their “that’s it” point. So needless to say, I do not wish to garner any more disfavor by eliminating even one more tiny little insignificant detail from the original recipe. Enjoy!

3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
¼ small onion, finely chopped
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized cubes
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. milk or more
2 T. flour
1 T. Hungarian paprika, or more to taste
¾ c. sour cream, or more to taste

In a heavy sauce pan, fry the bacon until very crisp. Remove from pan and place in a small bowl. Add the onion to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle very lightly with salt and a goodly amount of fresh pepper. Stir fry until the chicken is just done. Remove to the same bowl with the cooked bacon.

Meanwhile whisk together the chicken broth, milk, flour, and paprika. After removing the chicken and onion, pour the liquid mixture into the pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let gently burble for about 5 minutes, stirring the whole time. Whisk in the sour cream. (If the sauce seems too thick, add a little additional milk.) When thoroughly heated, but not boiling, add the reserved bacon, chicken, and onion mixture. Adjust seasoning. Continue to heat until just before ingredients reach a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Reheat and serve over rice or wide egg noodles.

Perfect with fresh green beans, a chunk of hearty bread, and a chilled Fume Blanc.

Note: This recipe doubles, triples, etc. beautifully.

FRIED MARINATED TOFU WITH GREEN ONIONS AND SESAME SEEDS

So I know what you are thinking. Where in the world has Patti been that she hasn’t written a post in almost a month? First of all – sorry about that, but Mr. C. and I have been on the road with our ginormous 19 foot trailer taking in the sites and visiting family from here to Colorado and back. Touring with a trailer is a lovely way to experience our country and believe me, our country is worth seeing. For example, staying in a fairly primitive campground at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, with snow still on the ground and deer grazing around the trailer is a fantastic experience. Never heard of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park? Well neither had we until I discovered it on line while I was planning our itinerary. Now I can hardly wait to return. Just for grins, visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm. I’m sure you will instantly become as fascinated with this amazing and little known area of Colorado as we were.

And speaking of amazing areas that are not as well known as say Yellowstone and coincidentally not as far away, Steens Mountain and the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in SE Oregon are tops on our list of places to be visited with regularity. But enough with the travel guide prose. Let’s get on with the dish of the day.

This marinated tofu dish is absolutely delicious and ever so “in”. With all the press about eating organic, sustainable, local, slow, vegan, vegetarian, etc. etc., this dish comes as close to “realistic” healthy food as I can muster. And I do try to cook healthy, really I do. So give this fried tofu recipe a try. Mr. C tells me for him this tofu dish is analogous with “crack” (crack-cocaine), not that he has ever tried crack you understand, but you get the gist. He LOVES it.

¼ c. soy sauce
¼ c. rice wine vinegar
1 T. chili-garlic sauce or Sambal Oelek and 1 small clove finely minced garlic
1 tsp. sesame oil
pinch kosher salt
1 lb. firm tofu
3 T. corn or peanut oil
¼ c. cornstarch or more + 1 tsp., divided
¼ c. thinly sliced green onions
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, sesame oil, and salt in a small container. Remove the tofu from the container and press gently between several sheets of paper towel to remove some of the liquid. Cut into 12 same size pieces and add to the marinade. Let tofu marinate for about 2 hours. When ready to fry add oil to medium sized frying pan and hot over medium high heat. When oil is hot, take each piece of tofu out of the marinade (reserving marinade), blot on a paper towel, dip in the ¼ cup cornstarch (or more as needed) and place in hot oil. Fry the pieces until they are crispy brown on both sides.

Meanwhile pour the remaining marinade and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch into a small pan. Whisking the entire time, bring the mixture to a boil and stir until thickened. Remove from heat.

When tofu is crisp and golden brown, remove to a serving plate. Pour sauce over the tofu and sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Please note: Play around with the sauce. If you are a ginger lover, add some ginger. I know I am going to the next time I make this dish.

CHICKEN FAJITAS

Well once again I have proven to one and all that my photographs of food will never make the rotogravure section of the Sunday Chronicle. Whoa Nellie – that was a thought blast from the past! Maybe I thought about the long gone rotogravure* section of Sunday papers because I have been going half mad all day trying to get Irving Berlin’s melody for the song Easter Parade out of my head. (There is a reference to the rotogravure in the song lyrics.) Whatever the reason, the truth of what I said remains. I am simply a lousy food picture taker (can’t even refer to myself as a photographer) and I want to take this opportunity to apologize for my ineptitude.

OK, I got that off my chest; on to better and tastier subjects.

I don’t know about you, but I love fajitas. What I don’t appreciate is when fajitas are so highly seasoned that you can’t taste the flavor of the meat. (Just my old hang-up of wanting a blend of flavors in whatever dish I eat or prepare!) I also don’t like buying seasoning packets when I can jolly well produce a better and less expensive product at home! Of course, my spice blends don’t have the likes of monopotassium glutamate, disodium guanylate, or disodium inosinate (not making these names up folks), but I don’t really feel I’m missing anything by their absence!

So the following recipe is my answer to a not overly spiced fajita that can be made with chicken, beef** (skirt steak works great), or shrimp**. This mélange of herbs is perfect for Mr. C and me. For those who prefer spicier fajitas, I recommend using a hot salsa to ramp up the heat.

*According to the Free Dictionary website, rotogravure is an intaglio printing process in which letters and pictures are transferred from an etched copper cylinder to a web of paper, plastic, or similar material in a rotary press. i.e. printed material, such as a newspaper section, produced by this process.

1 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. granulated garlic
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
scant 1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ c. water
3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/3-inch strips
1 green pepper, thinly sliced (or half green, half red pepper)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 T. fresh lime juice
8 warm flour tortillas
shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, salsa, thin avocado slices, and sour cream (preferably Mexican) for serving

Note: Remember – you don’t have to buy your spices in those darling little jars at the grocery store. Buy your spices in bulk and save yourself mucho dinero (well we are talking fajitas here you know!)

Combine the cornstarch, chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, granulated garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Place in an airtight container for storage. (I make about a triple batch at a time.)

When ready to prepare fajitas, whisk together the water, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the chili powder mixture together in a small bowl. (If you have made a larger amount of the spice mixture, use about 4 tablespoons for this recipe.) Add the chicken, and stir together until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. **

After the chicken has had a chance to marinate, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Carefully empty the chicken into the skillet along with the green pepper and onion. Cook over medium high heat, stirring continually with a heavy spatula to remove browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve in warmed tortillas, with lettuce, cheese, salsa, avocado slices, and sour cream.

** 15 minutes for shrimp and about 1 hour for skirt steak

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH BEURRE BLANC SAUCE

So, just to prove that I can cook fairly sophisticated food when need be, I decided to post this recipe for seared scallops. Actually, I was recently asked if I would give a class on sauces, especially sauces for seafood, but I had to respectfully decline. I’m already way over committed, plus my good friend Gay and I made a pact on New Year’s Eve that in 2014 we would get a whole lot better at saying no. Two months ago she told me she had said no to what would entail a great deal of effort on her part, something to do with a conference if I remember correctly, and I had nothing to contribute. Now at least I can tell her next time we meet that I too have conquered my addiction to the word “yes”. And just like with any other addiction, it wasn’t easy for me to break my lifelong habit. It actually took me a few days to come to my decision, but I know I made the right one. But I did promise the person that requested the class that I would post a recipe for an easy and almost fool proof recipe for beurre blanc within the next few days.

So here ladies and gentleman is my way of preparing one of the best known classic sauces. Considering that you only need a very small glazing of this simple and elegant sauce to add a depth of unparalleled flavor to any type of simple seafood preparation, any lack of healthy attributes in the sauce can and should be forgiven. (My subtle way of telling you that this sauce is full of “f” and “c” – fat and calories.) But truly, a tablespoon or two is sufficient. In fact, any more would take on the aspect of “gilding the lily”. Which brings up a subject near and dear to my heart; the idea that if some is good, a whole lot is better!

I believe this notion of more, more, more is one of the differences between an OK cook, and a really excellent cook. In fact, I think the better the cook, the more that person is able to show restraint. An excellent cook doesn’t over season food. Or add too much cheese, for example, or ever allow any one ingredient to overpower all the other flavors in a dish. If I may use a musical analogy, no section of a choir, band or orchestra should ever be allowed to drown out the sound of all the other singers or instrumentalists. The term we use musically is “blend”. And that’s exactly what we want to achieve in every dish we prepare – a perfect blend or marriage of flavors. Every ingredient should compliment every other ingredient. In other words, we should simply not allow any one ingredient to become a bully! And to take the concept one step further, we shouldn’t allow a base, like pasta, rice, or as in this recipe, perfectly seared scallops to be ruined by too much sauce.

In conclusion (I feel like I have been delivering a lecture and lectures always come with a conclusion) I should at least mention that the seared scallops in this recipe are pretty darned delicious too! (Nothing new or exciting about the preparation, in fact, possibly the easiest way there ever was to cook a scallop.)

So next time you are in the mood for a seafood dish that’s fit for even the most discerning palate in your family or group of friends, give this recipe a try. It is simply a perfect marriage of flavors.

Beurre Blanc Sauce:

1 shallot, very finely chopped
½ c. dry white wine
1 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
2 tsp. heavy cream
6 T. cold unsalted butter, cubed
pinch kosher salt
pinch white pepper
cut fresh chives, garnish, opt.

Combine the shallot, white wine, and lemon juice in a non-reactive fry pan over high heat and reduce to 1 tablespoon. Reduce heat and whisk in the cream. Once the liquid bubbles whisk in the butter one cube at a time until there are only 2 or 3 cubes left. Remove from heat and continue whisking while adding the last few butter cubes. Continue whisking until the mixture is fully emulsified. Add the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. To keep the sauce warm while you cook the scallops, place the fry pan over a bowl of hot water.

Seared Scallops:

8 good sized scallops (or as many as you need)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. vegetable oil, or more as needed to lightly coat the bottom of your pan

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a fry pan until just about smoking. Add the scallops and sauté for about a minute or until you start to see brown around the lower edges of the scallops. Flip the scallops and cook for about another minute. Remove from pan and serve lightly glazed with the Beurre Blanc sauce and garnished with fresh chives. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

A couple of days ago I asked Mr. C. what he would like for dinner. He usually responds with either “whatever you feel like fixing” or “anything is fine with me” or words to that effect. But this time he said he would love some Chicken Parmesan. No problem. I could just look up the recipe in one of my own cookbooks and be on my merry way. Well low and behold; I had never written out a recipe for Chicken Parmesan. (Out of 888 recipes contained in those 2 cookbooks, you would think there would be a recipe for Chicken Parmesan.) But no cigar! So that meant I had to do some research. So I started by looking in my 2 favorite sources for all food Italian – Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Marcella Hazan) and The Splendid Table (Lynne Rosetto Kasper). Nothing. Turns out Chicken Parmesan is not an Italian classic. In fact it’s about as American as apple pie! Hmph!

So never being one to be afraid of a challenge, I took the bold step of going online. My exploratory journey took me far and wide. But it finally came to rest on this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis. (Well the chicken part is Giada’s, with a few minor changes, but the Marinara Sauce is my very own.)

I liked the look of Giada’s recipe immediately because there was no breading action required. Not that I’m lazy or don’t appreciate a nicely breaded and sautéed cutlet, but with all the other rich ingredients cuddling up to the partially fried chicken, I felt it totally unnecessary to add more steps and not coincidentally more calories to an already very rich dish.

So the following recipe is my answer to the age old question – what would you like for dinner dear? I hope the next time I ask Mr. C. that question I will again be required to do some research. For me, a lot of the pleasure associated with cooking is in trying new recipes. (One of the reasons I never wanted to be a cook in a restaurant. I’d be forced to cook the same things over and over. I’d go stir crazy, both literally and figuratively!) So for me, most of the pleasure of adapting or creating new recipes is in the hunt. No guns required!

I hope you enjoy the recipe. Lovely served with a green or a Caesar salad and a side of buttered pasta.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Marinara Sauce, recipe follows, or purchased marinara sauce
1/3 c. shredded mozzarella
¼ c. grated Parmesan
1 T. unsalted butter

Whisk 1 tablespoon of the oil and herbs together in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut each chicken breast into three pieces. First cut off the thinner end. Then slice the thicker end in half horizontally. (Or if the chicken breasts are fairly small and of uniform thickness, just slice in half lengthwise.) Dry off the chicken pieces with paper towels if necessary and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a large heavy oven-proof skillet containing the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Carefully whirl the pan so that the oil coats the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon the Marinara Sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over each piece of chicken. Cut the butter into very small bits and scatter over all. Bake in a pre-heated 500 degree oven for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through.

Marinara Sauce:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
½ c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-oz.) can chopped or diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
1 bay leaf
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 T. chopped fresh basil leaves
1-2 T. butter, optional

In a large covered sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Take the lid off part way if the sauce is too thin.) Remove from heat, remove bay leaf, add basil and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavor.

Note: this is a very basic marinara sauce that can be used in a myriad of recipes. Leftover sauce freezes beautifully.

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE LO MEIN STIR-FRY

So, for 10 years (1970-1979) I worked at the International Branch of Seafirst Bank. (Way back before Seafirst became part of The Bank of America (the California based bank that is), which was then subsequently devoured (they called it a “merger”) by what is today known as Bank of America, I had the very great pleasure of working in what was then known as “China Town”. And along with working in the International District, I got to eat there! (Those were the days my friends!) And that meant that often on a Friday night my husband and kids would drive into town and join me for dinner after work at Tai Tung, our favorite Chinese restaurant.

Now for those unfamiliar with Tai Tung, established in 1935, and I swear, no changes have been made to either the décor or the menu since inception, it was the perfect place to take a family. The food was inexpensive, relatively good, and the atmosphere was perfect for a family with 2 tired parents and 4 hungry children. We all loved going there. So I feel a lot of nostalgia for both the restaurant and Asian food in general.

These days however, I have a slightly higher standard when it comes to the flavor and amount of fat and salt contained in an individual dish. And I find that my new standards can mostly only be attained when I cook the dish at home. (Don’t get me wrong, I still go out for dim sum every chance I get).

So this recipe is my answer to a meat and vegetable chow mein. Of course, it’s not nearly as greasy, is packed with more flavor and vegetables, less meat and sodium, and no MSG. Other than that, it’s just like the chow mein with soft noodles we used to get at Tai Tung. Anyone want to go out for Chinese?

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small bite sized pieces (or you can use pork, beef, or shrimp)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 T. butter, divided
1 T. sesame oil
3 c. bite sized pieces of fresh broccoli
½ red pepper, diced
10-12 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch or 8 green onions cut on the bias (white and green parts)
1 c. snow peas cut in two on the bias
2 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1 can sliced water chestnuts, opt.
1/3 c. good soy sauce (I use GF Tamari)
½ c. dry sherry
2 c. packed fresh spinach or napa cabbage, opt.
8-oz. lo mein noodles, cooked according to package directions (I use Roland brand Organic Lo Mein Noodles)
½ c. toasted slivered or chopped almonds

Lightly sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large fry pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Make sure chicken is cooked through, but do not over-cook. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the broccoli, red pepper, and mushrooms. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, snow peas, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and water chestnuts. Cook for another minute or two. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, soy sauce, and sherry. Simmer one minute. Add the spinach, reserved chicken, and using a pair of tongs, lift the cooked lo mein noodles directly into the pan with the chicken, noodles and sauce. Toss all together with the tongs. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve immediately.

General rule of thumb when preparing a pasta dish that incorporates cooked noodles into a sauce: Never cook pasta ahead of time and let it sit around while the sauce finishes cooking. If anything, have your sauce ready before the pasta has completed cooking. Pasta is always best when cooked just before adding to a sauce and then eaten immediately.

SLOPPY JOES

Sometimes I truly miss having young children around. I get over it quickly, believe me, but when the urge to eat “kid food” pops up in my brain, I think about my own children growing up and Sloppy Joes! Not that I ever fed Sloppy Joes to my children; only because I was totally unaware of this culinary delight. Even though what appears to be a “Sloppy Joe” recipe (Barbecued Hamburger Mix) is right there on page 292 of my 1961 edition of Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cook Book, I never gave the recipe more than a cursory glance. And seriously, I must have looked at the recipe hundreds of times since I perused my cookbook on an almost daily basis. I’m still trying to fathom how I could possibly have missed the delicious combination of flavors described right there in front of me? Boggles the mind, I’ll tell you that! (BTW – this is not Betty’s recipe.)

And unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, none of my close friends were turned on to Sloppy Joes either. Or if they were, they sure as heck never served this culinary wonder to my family or I would have snatched up the recipe faster than it takes to say “do you kids want chili, spaghetti, or Sloppy Joes for dinner”?

So next time you are at a loss as to what to fix for dinner, give this recipe a try. It is economical, fairly nutritious, easy to prepare and truthfully, really delicious – basically a perfect dinner solution after a long day of work.

After all, what parent doesn’t want to serve a dish that takes hardly any kitchen time and is loved by the entire family? For that matter, what retiree on a fixed income doesn’t want the same dish for the very same reasons? Although in our case, we the retired that is, don’t tend to be exhausted from too much work. If we are tired, it’s usually from too much play! (Did I mention that being retired is one of the best things about growing older? That and not really giving a flying fig what others think about who and what you are.)

And for that very reason, the one about not giving a flying fig, I totally enjoyed eating Sloppy Joes in our TV room last night with Mr. C. We watched the first episode in the Granada television series of Sherlock Holmes starring Jeremy Brett. I’m telling you, there is hardly a better combination to celebrate self indulgence than a toasted ciabatta roll loaded with BBQ flavored meat and watching the scintillating plot unfold in an Arthur Conan Doyle mystery. If you doubt my word, try this magnificent combination for yourself. It’s simply elementary my dear reader!

1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried marjoram
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
15-oz. tomato sauce
¼ c. ketchup
2 T. packed brown sugar
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. yellow mustard (don’t even think about using a fancy mustard)
1 tsp. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)
3 ciabatta, Kaiser, or hamburger rolls, sliced and toasted

In a large covered sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat; add ground beef and sauté until browned. Add onion, pepper, and garlic and continue cooking until onion translucent. Add marjoram, chili powder, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, and beef base. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and let simmer until sauce is thick, about 30 minutes. When ready to serve, ladle on top of your buns of choice. Serve immediately. Great accompanied by your favorite coleslaw, thick potato chips (if you have kids) and of course, a nice cold beer (not for the kids).

CHICKEN ALA ROCK

Since July of 2008, Mr. C. and I have been hosting vocal jazz artists from around the world in our home. Often the artists stay the night with us, as was the case with Chris McNulty in May of 2009. And the next morning over coffee and a lingering breakfast, Chris and I started talking food. (Well, of course we did!) She shared with me her amazing and truly unique recipe for just about the best chicken you could ever hope to taste.

She and her husband Paul Bollenback, the fabulous jazz guitarist, had to leave shortly after breakfast so that left me plenty of time that afternoon to gather the recipe ingredients for this dish including one perfect garden variety rock. (Excuse the pun.) Yep, you heard right! A plain old fashioned, just the right size, good and heavy rock.

So that very evening I prepared this incredible dish for the first time. I must say, I was a bit skeptical about the peperoncini, and I worried about the chicken burning, but my fears turned out to be completely unfounded. (Notice the use of a big old rock from the yard didn’t worry me at all!) The chicken came out ultra tender and moist, and the flavor from the mustard, peperoncini, and roasted red peppers was divine.

So go on out in your yard or take a walk in the woods and find yourself a rock. (I suggest you measure the pot you are going to use to contain the rock before you go a gathering.) And then give this recipe a try. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Oh, and wash your rock before you use it. You just never know where that rock has been during the last several million years!

1 whole fryer, cut into 8 pieces or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs*
2 T. grainy mustard
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 frying pan large enough for chicken (single layer)
¼ c. peperoncini rings, with a little juice
2 roasted red peppers cut into large pieces
aluminum foil
1 very heavy pan that fits in frying pan
1 very large rock (yes the kind you find in your yard) that fits in heavy pan
chopped fresh parsley, opt.

*if you use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, I suggest you do what I do. Using a pair of kitchen shears cut away most of the skin and fat. I leave just enough skin to barely cover the chicken with just a little of the meat showing around the edges. There will still be plenty of skin to brown nicely and you will have eliminated a great deal of calories totally unnecessary to the enjoyment of this dish. (Actually I cut away most of the skin anytime I use chicken thighs.)

Combine mustard, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slather all over the chicken pieces and place them skin side down in cold frying pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the peperoncini rings and the roasted red pepper pieces.

Cover with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fit down over the chicken and extend over the sides of the frying pan.

Place frying pan on stove. Place the very heavy pan on top of the aluminum foil. Place the rock in the pan. (Actually you can place the rock in the pan before putting it on the chicken.)

Turn the heat on medium low and walk away for 30-35 minutes. Remove the pan and rock. Carefully remove the aluminum foil (as the steam first escapes it is very hot) and gently turn the chicken. (If there is liquid, remove 98% of it before browning the second side of the chicken.) Turn up the heat and cook chicken for an additional 5-10 minutes. (Don’t turn the chicken at this point and don’t worry that the second side is not the amazing brown of the first side.) Just sprinkle it with fresh parsley and serve it to anyone you truly love.

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STEAK AU POIVRE (PEPPERCORN STEAK)

So, we don’t eat steak very often but when we do we go all out. And this is one of our favorite ways to enjoy this rare treat. And I do mean rare! I actually used to order or cook my steak very, very rare, in fact almost so rare that you could hear an echo of mooing in the background! But over the years I have learned that the best way to cook or order a steak is medium rare. (Mr. Cs more refined palate preferred medium rare steaks all along. It just took me longer to realize that medium rare was the perfect way to appreciate steak.)

Cooked to an internal temperature of about 125-130 degrees, a good steak is tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Cook it past 160 degrees or higher, and your beautiful cut of meat will become tough, dry, and flavorless, basically fit only for Fido, who might actually reject it, or your compost heap (most likely won’t reject it)!

And I know there are those who prefer their steak well done. If you happen to know someone like that and you are doing the shopping and cooking for this person, order lovely cuts of well marbled steak for anyone else. For the person who likes his/her steak well done, buy a cheaper cut of meat. Believe me, they will be none the wiser. Regardless of what you start with, past 160 degrees any superior qualities that were in the meat to begin with are now relegated to history.

Of course, even if you or one of your family members or guests likes massacred meat, the Steak au Poivre sauce will still be a delicious accompaniment. The sauce is easy to prepare and a perfect complement to the peppery crust on the steak.

So however you like your steak cooked, give this recipe a try. And if I have offended you in any way by my opinionated comments regarding your or a loved one’s idea of how a steak should be prepared, please forgive my culinary fervor! It’s just my opinion after all. Well, to be truthful, it’s how most connoisseurs feel about over cooked steak. Oh, never mind!

2 New York, filet mignon, or rib eye steaks, cut 1¼-inch thick
kosher salt
1 – 2 T. coarsely ground black pepper (depending on size of steaks)
2 T. butter, divided
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
¼ c. finely chopped shallots
½ c. beef broth
¼ c. Cognac or brandy
1 T. heavy cream

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Sprinkle liberally with salt and then press the black pepper evenly on both sides. (If your steaks are quite large, you will probably need 2 tablespoons of cracked pepper. You want a nice “pepper crust” on the steaks.) Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the butter almost smokes. Place the steaks in the pan and lower the heat to medium. Cook the steaks for 3-4 minutes on 1 side and then for about 3 minutes on the other side, or until the internal temperature is about 125-130 degrees depending on how “rare” you like your medium rare. (See meat temperature chart below.)

Remove the steaks to a serving plate and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Meanwhile, add the shallots and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and cook over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until reduced by half, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Cognac and cream; cook for 2 more minutes. Off heat, swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter and adjust seasoning. Serve the steaks with the sauce poured on top.

Meat (Beef)Temperature Chart in Degrees F

Rare 120-125
Medium-Rare 130-135
Medium 140-145
Medium-Well 150-155
Well done 160 and above

CHEZ CARR CUISINE

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