tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60677059354565589322024-02-19T07:13:30.055-08:00Chef's Recipe CatalogA spot where I can share tried and true family recipes along with some successful experiments along the way.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-79729059650098171342016-03-12T12:05:00.002-08:002016-03-12T12:08:38.303-08:00Hot Smoked Salmon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcdNZ8Qq-WVvHLOx8ZZaSEgEvV2RVb8FLj6MrQoK4YiuHPV4-6z35aB6VFoOcJy6j1ZCjzOTISABsRMHDUY9eNLh49Czpms6qNkKxLp1b-rEB26IV9E3eBPZyZJcSOPQXyxdRqhzUQ1Q/s1600/pepper-smoked-sockeye-salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcdNZ8Qq-WVvHLOx8ZZaSEgEvV2RVb8FLj6MrQoK4YiuHPV4-6z35aB6VFoOcJy6j1ZCjzOTISABsRMHDUY9eNLh49Czpms6qNkKxLp1b-rEB26IV9E3eBPZyZJcSOPQXyxdRqhzUQ1Q/s320/pepper-smoked-sockeye-salmon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I've been a big fan of Hot Smoked Salmon since I was a kid growing up in Seattle. It was a big treat to get a hunk of it at the Public Market early on a Saturday morning for consumption with cheese and crackers later in the day while watching a game on TV.</div>
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Great Smoked Salmon is easy to make if you are patient and have the right recipe. It all starts off with a nice piece of fresh fish. Even though I'm not a fan of farmed Salmon I do find it to be a pretty good product for smoking because of its uniformity in size and affordability. Alaskan Sockeye is another good choice when in season and on sale.</div>
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<b>Salmon & Marinade</b></div>
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I like to marinate my fish in a smoky alcohol for an hour before moving on to the dry cure stage. It cleans up the fish and helps keep the albumin in check. It also imparts a little flavor while helping the cure do a better job. </div>
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<ul>
<li>3 lb Skinless Salmon Fillet</li>
<li>1/2 cup Scotch, Irish Whiskey, Mezcal, or Bourbon</li>
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<b>The Dry Cure</b></div>
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The two important ingredients are brown sugar and salt. You can stop right there if you want. The other spices altered any way you wish. The pink salt is simply a preservative that adds a really nice color to fish. The key is to deliver a product that has a lot of flavor without being too salty. If you are using a skinless filet the curing process will take 4-5 hours. The longer you leave the cure on the saltier the fish will taste. If your filets are skin on then double the curing time.</div>
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<ul>
<li>1 cup Brown Sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup Kosher Salt</li>
<li>1 tbs Pink Salt</li>
<li>2 tbs Black Peppercorns</li>
<li>1 tbs Juniper Berries</li>
<li>1 tbs Ground Cloves</li>
<li>1 tbs White Pepper</li>
<li>1 Star Anise</li>
<li>2 Bay Leaves </li>
</ul>
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<b>The Rest</b></div>
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After the curing is done you rinse the cure off the fish and set the filets on a wire rack to dry for at least 2 hours. I go the extra step. I let it dry overnight to develop a great pellicle. The pellicle is a skin that forms on the surface of the fish which allows the smoke to not only be absorbed better by the filet but also look a lot better when the smoking is finished. Feel free to season the fish with pepper and dried garlic.</div>
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<b>The Smoke</b></div>
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I go with a 3 hours per inch rule on Salmon in the smoker at around 200-225 degrees. The lower the temperature the longer you can expose the salmon to the smoke without drying out the fish. Once the filet reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees it is done. Alder is the traditional wood for smoking salmon. Apple and Cherry and fruitwoods work well too. Hickory and pecan in general are too strong for fish.</div>
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<b>Slice and Serve</b></div>
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As soon as it comes out of the smoker it is fair game for immediate eating but the best way to handle it is to let cool on the wire racks to room temperature and then chill in the fridge for a couple of hours. Once it is cool it is ready to slice and serve.</div>
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<ul>
<li>Apple or Alder Wood Chips</li>
</ul>
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John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-39393928493154231552012-10-07T14:47:00.001-07:002012-10-07T15:10:43.722-07:00Braised Korean Short Rib Taco'sBoneless short ribs are one of my favorite things to make for dinner parties because because you can make them way ahead of time and they always turn out great. They also have a lot of flexibility in how you prepare, flavor, and serve them.<br />
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Today we are going to do a slow cooked version of Korean Barbecue Short Ribs that just melts in your mouth with a beefy sweetness. These ribs have all the flavor of the quick grilled Kalbi variety but they are lot more tasty and versatile in how you can use them.<br />
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<b>Braised Korean Short Ribs</b><br />
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5 pounds of boneless short ribs</div>
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10 cloves of chopped garlic</div>
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fresh cilantro</div>
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fish sauce</div>
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1/4 cup fresh ginger</div>
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1 cup light soy sauce</div>
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2/3 cup brown sugar</div>
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1/2 cup rice vinegar</div>
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1/8 cup sesame oil</div>
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4 tsp red pepper flakes</div>
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1 fuji apples</div>
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1 diced japanese pear</div>
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1 diced medium onion</div>
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sesame seeds</div>
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garlic powder</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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3 1/2 cups beef broth<br />
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Preheat oven to 275<span class="s1"><sup>o</sup> </span>F. Season ribs generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat oil to high. In batches, brown ribs on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer ribs to a plate and pour off all but 2 Tablespoons fat from pot.</div>
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Add onions, apples, pears, ginger, and garlic. Cook until soft which should take about five minutes. </div>
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Add beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Return the ribs to the pot and bring to a rapid simmer, cover, and place pot in the oven. Cook until meat can be easily pierced with the tip of a pairing knife, about 3 hours. </div>
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With a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to a large straight-sided skillet; discard solids by pouring/straining liquid through a sieve or strainer. </div>
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Skim off fat from cooking liquid. If you have time, place liquid in the refrigerator for a little while, making it easier to discard the fat that will accumulate on top.<br />
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<b>Korean Short Rib Taco's</b><br />
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Once we get these puppies cooked off I like to shred them and use them to make asian taco's with the following toppings.<br />
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White corn tortilla's<br />
Fresh chopped cilantro<br />
Fresh chopped scallions<br />
Fresh shredded cabbage<br />
Shredded white radish<br />
Fresh chopped jalapeno</div>
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<b>Asian-Style Salsa</b><br />
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The ribs are going to have a lot of flavor on their own so what you are trying to do is come up with some type of sauce that will help compliment rather than over power the toppings.</div>
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1/4 cup hoisin sauce</div>
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1/4 cup sweet-hot pepper sauce<br />
1/4 cup chopped pineapple<br />
1/4 cup chopped onion<br />
1/4 cup chopped tomato<br />
2 tsp sriracha sauce</div>
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2 tbs. mirin</div>
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1 tbs. Asian sesame oil</div>
<br />John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-44018755938078921142012-10-05T12:10:00.000-07:002012-10-07T14:45:56.886-07:00Beef Short Rib Pastrami Reuben SandwichesI have spent the last year trying to raise my talent level when it comes to smoking and curing various types of meats and sausages. It is amazing how much better home cured meats are in comparison to the majority of stuff you buy at stores and deli's.<br />
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I am an absolute corned beef and pastrami fiend. One recipe that has been a big hit has been making pastrami or corned beef out of beef short ribs. You can corn/pickle any cut of beef but traditionally the brisket is what you use for corned beef and the tougher navel cut of the brisket is what is reserved for pastrami.<br />
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I like using short ribs for pastrami because they have better marbling than todays briskets and they don't have the gristle associated with the navel cut. Better marbling means better flavor. It creates a product that absorbs and distributes the smoke and spices better.<br />
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Texture is another big part of why this recipe is so special. When you slow cook a beef short rib good things happen as everything begins to break down. The texture of the final product is very similar to a firmer pot roast with more surface area to develop more crust and intense flavors.</div>
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This recipe is pretty simple. You assemble your own blend of pickling spices and briefly toast them in a frying pan to wake up the flavors. You then make a couple of quarts of seasoned brine with the spices and marinate the meat for a few days until it is pickled/cured.</div>
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The not so secret ingredient to this brine is either pink salt or a product called <a href="http://www.mortonsalt.com/for-your-home/culinary-salts/meat-curing-and-pickling-salts/178/morton-tender-quick/">Morton's Tender Quick</a>. The nitrates are what helps preserve the meat and gives it the vibrant looking red color corned beef and pastrami is known for.<br />
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You can also achieve similar results by using a dry curing rub on the short ribs. I've made it both ways and so far the majority of tasters have picked the pickle/brine method as their favorite because I think it is less intense and salty.</div>
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<b>The Tender Quick Brine</b><br />
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2 quarts of water<br />
2 cups Morton Tender Quick<br />
3/4 cup brown sugar<br />
2 cinnamon sticks<br />
2 tsp black peppercorns<br />
2 tsp whole coriander<br />
1 tsp whole cloves<br />
1 tsp black mustard seeds<br />
1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
15 whole juniper berries<br />
6 tbsp pickling spice<br />
Fresh ground coriander, smoked paprika, and black pepper to taste<br />
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Start off by lightly toasting your spices in a heated frying pan to open up and refresh their flavors. Add all the ingredients with the exception of the short ribs to two quarts of boing water and let cool to room temperature.</div>
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Once the brine has cooled down pour it over the short ribs and cure them for a couple of days in a zip lock bag. The rule of thumb is it will take 7-10 days of curing for every vertical inch of meat on a slab of brisket. Short ribs cure faster because they are cut up into smaller pieces which means the brine can get at them and into them a lot easier than with a solid piece of brisket.<br />
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The longer you soak the ribs in the brine the saltier they are going to be when you take them out. It is a matter of taste but I usually rinse them and soak them in water for four hours to remove the excess salt before I smoke them.<br />
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<b>The Pastrami Crust</b><br />
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2 tbsp coarse ground coriander seed<br />
2 tbsp coarse ground black peppercorns<br />
2 tbsp smoked hungarian paprika<br />
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Once the short ribs are cured it is time to season and smoke them. I briefly toast black peppercorns and coriander seeds before grinding them before blending the mixture with smoked paprika. This creates the distinctive spicy crust that generously dusts the short ribs. I smoke them at 225 degrees over applewood for three hours.<br />
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I finish them in the oven by braising them in a mixture of a little water (1/2 inch) and some Dr. Pepper for another three hours at 300 degree's while covered in the oven. If you want a nice crispy crust on top take the foil off 30 minutes from the finish.</div>
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<b>Short Rib Pastrami Reuben's</b></div>
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5 pounds pastrami style beef short ribs<br />
Sliced rye bread<br />
Swiss cheese<br />
Sauerkraut with caraway seeds<br />
Russian dressing<br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
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Take them out of the oven and let them stand for around twenty minutes to cool off. Once cooled you can then start making sandwiches out of them. I find that each individual short rib is good for two very healthy sized sandwiches. I don't even slice it because it is so tender that it just breaks up on its own like pulled pork.<br />
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Butter the rye bread and begin grilling it with the swiss cheese on one side and russian dressing with steamed sauerkraut on the other. Add a healthy portion of the warm pastrami on the side with the sauerkraut and russian dressing and top with the slice of bread that has the melted cheese.<br />
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To make this sandwich really sing you need to make your own Russian dressing. It is different than the thousand island dressing you get in the stores. Just combine the ingredients as listed below and you are good to go!<br />
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<b>Russian Dressing</b><br />
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1/2 cup mayonaise<br />
2 tbsp chili sauce<br />
1 tbsp pickle relish<br />
1 tbsp horseradish<br />
1 tsp lemon juice<br />
1 tsp tabasco sauce<br />
1 tsp worcestershire sauce<br />
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If you aren't a fan of rye bread try this with one of those La Brea Bakery torta's that you can get at Costco. I still butter and grill the Torta but I finish the sandwich in a panini press so that the outside is a crispy and buttery 360 of goodness!<br />
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I like serving these sandwiches with a little potato salad, cole slaw, or even just a handful of potato chips along side a kosher dill quarter. A nice hoppy beer such as a really cold IPA helps wash it down and compliment the flavors.<br />
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John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-16602240557200416152012-03-09T14:37:00.003-08:002012-03-09T14:52:31.395-08:00Pâté Forestier au GenièvreOn a recent trip to Napa Valley my wife and I sampled some great champagne and nibbled on some of the countries most celebrated Charcuterie. I commented to her that I could make it at home and promised to do it when we returned home from our trip.<br />
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She absolutely loves the taste of truffles (who doesn't) so I decided that Pâté Forestier au Genièvre would be a good one to make for her. The keys to making a great Pâté starts with the quality of the ingredients, patience, and diligence of the person making it to follow a few simple rules.<br />
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Rule #1 - Cut your meat up into chunks, salt it lightly, and partially freeze it before grinding it. If you do this you will come out with a much better texture.<br />
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Rule #2 - Toast your spices in a pan and grind them fresh. If you do this the aromatic flavors will just pop in any recipe that you do.<br />
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Rule #3 - Make the mix a day ahead and let the flavors develop before assembling and cooking. <br />
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Rule #4 - Fry up a dab of the mix the next day and give it a taste to test your seasonings. If it doesn't taste right adjust the seasonings.<br />
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Rule #5 - Use a meat thermometer to make sure that you finish at around 160 degrees. You want to make sure that the Pâté is smooth and doesn't crumble. If the temperature is too high all the fat will leave and you will end up with a dry and crumbly terrine.<br />
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All the course ground Pâté I make has the same base recipe. The difference between most of them is simply the garnish or what I like to call the money shot. This is where you really get a chance to shine and make things stand out.<br />
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<b>Pâté Forestier au Genièvre</b><i> </i><br />
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<i>"Course Ground Meats"</i><br />
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1 lb 2 oz Pork Belly<br />
1/4 lb Ground Pork<br />
1/4 lb Ground Veal<br />
1/8 lb Ground Pancetta<i> </i><br />
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<i>"The Wrapper"</i><br />
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12 slices Prosciutto<i> </i><br />
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<i>"The Binder"</i><br />
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2 Diced Shallots<br />
6 Fresh Garlic Cloves<br />
1/2 cup Diced Onion<br />
1/4 cup Cognac<br />
4 Chicken Livers<br />
2 tbsp Port<br />
1/4 Cup heavy cream<br />
1 Egg<i> </i><br />
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<i>"The Spices" </i><br />
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1 tsp Ground Cloves<br />
1 tbsp Juniper Berries<br />
1 tsp Allspice<br />
1 tsp Nutmeg<br />
1 tsp Thyme<br />
1 tsp Ginger<br />
1 tsp Coriander Seed<br />
1/2 Stick Cinnamon Bark<br />
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1 tbsp Course Ground Pepper<br />
2 tbsp Kosher Salt<br />
1 tsp Pink Salt<i> </i><br />
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<i>"The Money Shot" </i><br />
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Truffle Salt<br />
Mushrooms<br />
Truffle Oil<br />
1/2 cup toasted Walnuts<br />
1 Tbsp Sherry<br />
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Cut the meat into chunks and partially freeze. Once meat is around 70% frozen grind it using the course blade.<br />
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Marinate chicken livers in cognac a minimum of three hours then combine in food processor with the garlic, shallots, onion, port, cream and egg to form the binder.<br />
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Toast Black Pepper, Juniper Berries, Coriander, Cinnamon Bark, and Cloves. Grind them fresh and combine with the Ginger, Nutmeg, Thyme, Salt, and Pink Salt to make the Pâté spice blend.<br />
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Combine the ground meat, binder, spices and blend together in a
non reactive container. Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to
blend together<br />
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(I like making a dozen small individual terrines every time I make up a batch of this. We eat a couple and them vacuum pack and freeze the rest. It is great to have something homemade and elegant like that in your freezer that you can thaw out quickly and serve to guests.)<br />
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The next day you want to toast up half a cup of walnuts in a pan and then chop them up.<br />
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Next you saute your mushrooms with a little olive oil. Finish with sherry and truffle salt. Once the mixture cools add truffle oil to build the flavor. Mix mushrooms and walnuts with the forcemeats.<br />
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Line twelve mini loaf pans with plastic cling wrap. Drape the slice prosciutto lengthwise in each pan. Fill each pan with the mixture and wrap up with the prosciutto.<br />
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Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. Place the loaf pans in a roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with boiling water until it reach half way up (water-bath) the mini loaf pans. Cover the roasting pan with foil and cook until the Pate reaches 135 degrees. At that point take off the foil and cook until it reaches a temperature of 160 degrees which allows the prosciutto to crisp up a bit. <br />
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Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Take them out of the molds and remove any excess fat. Wrap tightly in cling wrap and refrigerate overnight while weighted down.<br />
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<br />John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-7507150103160649132012-02-03T14:13:00.000-08:002012-02-03T15:48:18.841-08:00Spicy Chicken Fried SteakChicken Fried Steak isn't the most diet friendly menu item on the planet. I like it every once in awhile because it is very tasty, inexpensive, and fairly easy to make. I dress it up big time with country sausage gravy, biscuits, and smashed potatoes on the side.<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount"> Sometimes I add a couple of Chipolte peppers with Adobo sauce to the gravy when I want to take it up a notch. </span></span><br />
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<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">Spicy Chicken Fried Steak </span></span><br />
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<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">3 pounds</span><span itemprop="name"> Cube Steak</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">1-1/2 cup</span><span itemprop="name"> Milk for the egg wash </span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">2 Cups Milk for the Gravy</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 Eggs</span><span itemprop="name"><br /></span></span><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">2 cups</span><span itemprop="name"> Flour</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">Canola Oil</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount">Cajun </span><span itemprop="name">Seasoning</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount"> </span><span itemprop="name"> One tube of Bob Evans Hot Sausage</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">Chipolte pepper with Adobo sauce (Optional) </span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">As much black pepper as you can stand</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="amount"> </span><span itemprop="name"> Salt</span></span><br />
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</ul>
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">Start off by seasoning the cube steak with salt and a lot of black pepper. Let it rest for an hour or so. Combine flour, panko, bread crumbs, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper to make the breading.</span></span><br />
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<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">Make your egg wash by whisking together two eggs and milk. Dip one piece of meat in the egg wash and then give it a dip in the flour/panko/bread crumb mixture followed by another dip in the egg wash followed by a final dip in the </span></span><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">flour/panko/bread crumb mixture</span></span><span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">. Repeat the procedure until all the meat is breaded.</span></span><br />
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<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">Heat up a skillet and fry up the sausage and set aside when finished reserving the oil to fry the steak in. Add Canola oil to sausage drippings and bring up to approximately 375 degrees. Fry the steak while trying not to overcrowd the pan. Drain the excess oil from them when finished by placing the steaks on paper towels</span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name"><br /></span></span><br />
<span itemprop="ingredient" itemscope="" itemtype="http://data-vocabulary.org/RecipeIngredient"><span itemprop="name">Now it is time to make your gravy. </span></span>Add 1/4 cup grease back to the pan. Allow grease to heat up.
<br />
Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix
flour with grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Keep cooking until it
reaches a deep golden brown color. <br />
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Whisking constantly, pour in milk. Cook to thicken the gravy. Be
prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Add sausage, salt, and
pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until gravy is smooth and thick.<br />
<br />
Throw the steaks on a plate, smother the steaks and potatoes with country gravy, and have a decadent chow down.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-73450315232531410472012-01-20T13:18:00.000-08:002012-01-20T13:35:13.925-08:00Making Beef JerkyBeef Jerky is really easy to make if you have a smoker or food dehydrator. I have been recently experimenting with it lately and have been pretty pleased with the results. <br />
<br />
Top Round Beef Jerky<br />
<br />
5 lbs - thinly sliced top round<br />
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce<br />
1/2 cup light soy sauce<br />
1 tablespoon liquid smoke<br />
2 teaspoons fine ground black pepper<br />
1 tablespoon granulated onion or onion powder<br />
2 teaspoons granulated or powdered garlic<br />
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />
1 level teaspoon pink salt<br />
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar<br />
<br />
Partially freeze the meat and thinly slice against the grain at approximately 1/4" thick. I use a meat slicer because that keeps everything uniform so it dries evenly in the dehydrator. Mix marinade and marinate/cure for at least 12 hours.<br />
<br />
Dehydrate at 160 degree's until it is dry but not brittle. Drying time varies due to thickness of the meat, humidity in the air, and the type of dehydrator you are using. Once it has cooled you can either vacuum seal it or store it in a zip lock in the fridge.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-86972814485453885042012-01-03T15:03:00.000-08:002012-01-03T15:13:17.034-08:00The Best Hangtown Fry<b></b>The Hangtown Fry originated in the gold fields of California back in the 1850's. Legend has it that a miner struck it rich and went into a restaurant in Placerville, Ca and asked for the most expensive meal that they could make. The combination of fried oysters, eggs, bacon and cream was what they were able to come up with. <br />
<br />
Our version isn't the original but I think you are going to like it a lot better even though you have to go through a couple of extra steps to assemble what is basically a frittata. We layer this dish in a way that doesn't allow any of the ingredients to overwhelm each other.<br />
<br />
One pint extra small shucked oysters <br />
1/2 lb of diced bacon<br />
2 cups sliced mushroom<br />
1 cup diced fried potato<br />
1 cup diced onion<br />
1 tbsp chopped garlic<br />
3 cups fresh spinach<br />
6 eggs<br />
Tabasco<br />
1/4 cup whole cream<br />
Nutmeg<br />
<br />
1/4 cup butter<br />
<br />
<b>Oyster Breading </b><br />
<br />
Buttermilk<br />
Flour<br />
Panko Bread Crumbs<br />
Cornmeal<br />
Salt and Pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Soak the oysters overnight in buttermilk. <br />
<br />
Preheat oven broiler to high.<br />
<br />
Fry
the bacon in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat until almost crisp.
Remove the bacon and fry the potatoes until crisp with the onions and
set aside with the bacon. Dredge the oysters in a mixture of flour,
panko, and corn meal and deep fry for 90 seconds and set aside.<br />
<br />
Add
the potatoes, onions, spinach, mushrooms, garlic to a hot pan. Saute
for a few minutes in hot butter then whisk in the eggs, cream, tabasco,
and nutmeg. Fold into the pan while stirring at medium heat in the same
you would make an omelet.<br />
<br />
Broil in oven until eggs are
set than take out and top with fried oysters, bacon, and Parmesan
cheese. Place the frittata back under the broiler to finish cooking.<br />
<br />
Divide into 4 portions and serve hot.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-63936740915428768012012-01-03T14:07:00.000-08:002012-01-03T14:07:52.448-08:00Langostino's in Taso Cream Sauce over Fried PolentaWe recently have had access to some nicely priced large bags of cooked and frozen Langostino's at our local Costco. Langostino's are tasty little slipper lobsters that are excellent in stews, soups, and pasta dishes. If you don't have access to langostino's just substitute some shrimp or scallops.<br />
<br />
This is a great dish that has multiple levels of flavors and texture that is really easy to make. If you serve this at a dinner party people are going to really freak out because this is really good and it looks really pretty on the plate.<br />
<br />
Fresh Polenta is something I really love to eat. There are just so many ways you can go with it. In this dish we keep it pretty basic but add some texture and color with the sun dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and garlic. <br />
<br />
<b>Langostino's in Taso Cream Sauce</b><br />
<br />
1 lb langostino's<br />
2 finely diced red peppers<br />
1 small finely diced onion<br />
2 stalks finely diced celery <br />
1 tbsp crushed garlic <br />
2 oz finely diced Taso Ham <br />
1/4 cup butter<br />
1 cup whole cream<br />
Worcestershire sauce (to taste)<br />
Cajun seasoning (to taste)<br />
<br />
Dice celery, onions, peppers finely using a food processor. Melt butter in sauce pan and saute taso ham, crushed garlic, diced celery, onions, and red peppers until the onions are translucent. Add the Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Add cream and bring to temperature without boiling and add the langostino's.<br />
<br />
Serve over homemade fried polenta....see below.<br />
<br />
<b>Fried Polenta</b><br />
<br />
1 cup yellow corn meal<br />
4 cup water<br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
2 oz parmesan cheese<br />
1/2 cup finely diced onions<br />
1 tbsp crushed garlic<br />
2 tbsp finely diced sun dried tomato<br />
Kosher salt and pepper to taste<br />
Olive oil<br />
<br />
Bring four cups of water to a boil and then slowly add one cup of corn meal slowly to the water while stirring constantly for the next 15 minutes to make sure that there are no lumps and that the corn mush reaches the right consistency.<br />
<br />
At the end of the fifteen minutes stir the butter into the mush followed by the Parmesan, sun dried tomato's and caramelized onions which were prepared earlier. Mix it up and pout it into a pan that was treated with cooking spray so nothing sticks to it and refrigerate for around an hour until firm.<br />
<br />
Cut the Polenta into squares and fry until crispy in olive oil.<br />
<br />
<br />John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-14878349792080558082012-01-03T13:03:00.000-08:002012-01-03T13:28:55.443-08:00Cioppino<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZu2sd4r6Ln0DJCqv2q30bPdY1DYhqQTXrkhyphenhyphenind1yfUXP9SVUm94vRIT-wHRnlf5vhciOWO5oBz1JBiEZDWEFhPVLSe5UldR5EXO6NF_E_tgiiEr-kPtqovA5ExrLsiGWAStM5IIzMrU/s1600/cioppino.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZu2sd4r6Ln0DJCqv2q30bPdY1DYhqQTXrkhyphenhyphenind1yfUXP9SVUm94vRIT-wHRnlf5vhciOWO5oBz1JBiEZDWEFhPVLSe5UldR5EXO6NF_E_tgiiEr-kPtqovA5ExrLsiGWAStM5IIzMrU/s320/cioppino.jpg" width="320" /></a>Cioppino originated in San Francisco's traditionally Italian North Beach neighborhood.<br />
<br />
Local legend suggests that the name of the seafood stew originated from the custom of "chipping in" ingredients into a boiling pot after a day out on the bay fishing to create a communal meal.<br />
<br />
Cioppino is a real simple dish that anyone can make. The freshness of the seafood and the layering of the flavors in the broth are two key elements to pay attention to.<br />
<br />
In this recipe I use clam juice as a substitute for fish stock. Either works fine in the dish. I just happen to have a lot of clam juice on hand at all times because we are such clam chowder fiends. How you actually finish this stew with the fresh seafood without overcooking it is a trick that is easily mastered which I will share with you below.<br />
<br />
52 oz clam juice or fish stock<br />
16 oz diced San Marzano plum tomatoes<br />
1 8 oz can tomato sauce <br />
1 cup red wine <br />
4 finely diced red and yellow sweet peppers<br />
1 bunch diced celery<br />
1 finely diced onion<br />
2 oz chopped garlic<br />
3 bay leaves <br />
2 tbsp Italian spice<br />
1 tbsp basil<br />
Tabasco (to taste)<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
1 Tbsp Olive oil <br />
<br />
16 Steamer Clams<br />
1/2 lb Bay Scallops<br />
1/2 lb Langostinos<br />
2 - 2 lb Dungeness Crabs<br />
8 - U-15 prawns <br />
16 Mussels<br />
<br />
(Keep in mind that all the seafood ingredients can vary due to availability) <br />
<br />
Finely dice the garlic, onion, celery, and red peppers in a food processor. Heat the olive oil in your pan and cook the vegetables until the onions become translucent. Add bay leaves, basil, italian spice, salt, and pepper to taste. Add the clam juice or fish stock. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and red wine. Bring to a boil and simmer for two hours which will allow the flavors to meld together<br />
<br />
Once you are ready to serve add the mussels and clams to the broth and bring it to a boil. Continue boiling until the shells open. Reduce the temperature to a simmer and add the Langostino's and Prawns (make sure they are thawed). Cook them for approximately three minutes.<br />
<br />
Prepare your eight serving bowls by dividing up the raw scallops and putting them into the bottom of the bowls. Poor the steaming broth from the stew over the scallops and artistically divide the cooked seafood among the eight bowls. Scallops don't need a lot of heat or time so this insures that you and your guests are going to be eating perfectly cooked scallops.<br />
<br />
Divide/cut your (cooked and cleaned) Dungeness crab into eight sections and hang it over the edge of the bowls with the legs sticking out and serve. The crab doesn't need much heat because it already cooked. Resist the temptation to dump it directly in the stew while cooking the mussels and clams. If you like it warm simply dip into the sauce as you eat it.<br />
<br />
I like serving this with San Francisco sourdough garlic-butter toast points on the side.<br />
<br />
Serves Eight<br />
<br />
<br />John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-24655868004581065662011-10-19T19:47:00.000-07:002012-01-03T15:36:19.624-08:00The Original Joe's SpecialJoe's Special, Ukranian Joe's, Italian Joe's, Mexican Joe's, Portuguese Joe's, are all egg dishes that had their start in San Francisco back in the Gold Rush days. They are all a simple combination of eggs, butter, cream, cheese, and whatever type of tasty protein you happen to have around.<br />
<br />
They are quick and simple to make which has made them a star attraction at places like <a href="http://www.originaljoessf.com/">Original Joe's in San Francisco</a> and <a href="http://www.13coins.com/">13 Coins in Seattle</a> where I worked in the kitchen on weekends thirty-five years ago during high school. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>The Original Joe's Special </b><br />
<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 pounds lean ground sir loin<br />
2 medium onions, finely chopped<br />
2 garlic cloves, finely minced<br />
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced<br />
1 1/4 teaspoons salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg<br />
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning<br />
1/4 teaspoon pepper<br />
1/2 pound fresh spinach<br />
Shredded Parmesan cheese<br />
Olive oil <br />
<br />
Heat the olive oil and add the crumbled ground sirloin, chopped onions, and minced garlic. Cook until the beef is almost browned and the onions and garlic are tender. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they soften. Stir in spinach. Cook the mixture until just heated throughout. Add the beaten eggs and cook, stirring, until the eggs are firm but still tender. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmessan cheese.<br />
<br />
<b>Ukranian Joe's</b><br />
<br />
Serve garnished with sour cream on top after cooking<br />
<br />
<b>Italian Joe's</b><br />
<br />
Substitute Italian sausage for ground beef <b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<b>Mexican Joe's</b><br />
<br />
Substitute chorizo sausage for ground beef <br />
Substitute Mexican oregano for italian spices<br />
Substitute Mexican cheeses for Parmesan<b></b><br />
Substite cilantro for spinach<b><br /></b><br />
<br />
<b>Portuguese Joe's</b><br />
<br />
Substitute linguisa sausage for ground beef<br />
<br />
<b>Farmer Joe's</b><br />
<br />
Substitute country sausage for ground beef<b></b><br />
Add fried bacon<br />
Add fried red potatoJohn Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-30952850146885109062011-10-18T14:30:00.000-07:002011-10-18T14:41:41.151-07:00Hot Dish Madness - Cowboy Bean CasseroleLast spring I put together some lower calorie but tasty updates to traditional casseroles and hot dishes. Having everything pre measured and portioned out really helped us track the calories and lose weight.<br />
<br />
I used to love this bean casserole when my Mom used to make this for us when we were kids. What I have done is fancied it up a bit to give it some different layers of flavor. Serve this with a salad and you have a pretty good meal.<br />
<br />
People have been asking me for the recipes so it is time to get them posted as we move into the cooler part of the year. <br />
<br />
<b>Cowboy Bean Casserole </b> <br />
<br />
28 oz Van Kamps Pork and Beans <br />
1 Can Red Beans<br />
1 Can Black Beans<br />
1 lb Lean Ground Beef<br />
8 oz Smoked Sausage<br />
8 oz Cooked and Drained Bacon<br />
1 Medium Onion<br />
1 Envelope Onion Soup Mix<br />
1/2 Cup Ketchup<br />
2 TBS Brown and Spicy Mustard<br />
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar <br />
1/2 Cup French's French Fried Onions <br />
<br />
Total Calories 3545<br />
Calories Per Serving 295<br />
Makes 12 Servings <br />
<br />
Fry the smoked sausage and set aside. Brown the lean ground beef and set aside. Slice up the onion and fry it till it is translucent. Dice and fry the bacon until brown and set aside. Mix all the ingredients with the exception of the french fried onions and put into a 9 x12 casserole. Top with the French Fried Onions and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.<br />
<br />
If you want to save a few more calories and carbs you can substitute Splenda Brown Sugar for the regular Brown Sugar.<br />
<br />
Enoy!John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-39850454474545006242011-10-09T18:34:00.000-07:002011-10-10T15:55:22.169-07:00Crispy Hot German Potato Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyJB3skJqyXQ3ri9HyLo2Hl-ay7UIEIvl2gaT20VYpf5rWttZCjcW-EcPIvq3xNs6xokvKD1FZJoIm7cCc9sO-w93JuCgb6rdfZbeHbbdF4tyzO5sHkx7jFIDViQgq8cILD0lDiGmzro/s1600/germania.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyJB3skJqyXQ3ri9HyLo2Hl-ay7UIEIvl2gaT20VYpf5rWttZCjcW-EcPIvq3xNs6xokvKD1FZJoIm7cCc9sO-w93JuCgb6rdfZbeHbbdF4tyzO5sHkx7jFIDViQgq8cILD0lDiGmzro/s320/germania.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
I went to an Oktoberfest party last night at an old school German restaurant in Lake Zurich, Illinois called <a href="http://www.fritzl.com/">Fritzl's European Restaurant and Pub</a>. It has the reputation of being one of the better German restaurants in the greater Chicagoland area. <br />
<br />
They make a fine schnitzel and have a decent German potato salad. I have always liked the traditional tangy flavor of a Hot German Potato Salad. It is a pretty old school dish whose recipe traditionally revolves around potato, onion, bacon, mustard, and vinegar.<br />
<br />
Anyway some genius that was sitting at the bar ordered his hot German potato salad grilled/fried on the flat top. It looked great when it hit the table and it inspired this recipe which updates an old favorite. Texture and the layering of flavors is what makes this one a little different than any other one you have had.<br />
<br />
My father was a true potato salad aficionado. He was an engineer and engineers are typically pretty precise people. He made a precise traditional mustard potato salad which remains the very best I have ever had in my life. Nothing comes close to it and the thing that made it special was the texture.<br />
<br />
He always said what made his so good was how he controlled cooking and cooling times which resulted in the perfectly textured potato. He also precisely controlled the size and crispiness of the Walla Walla Sweet Onions, sweet pickles, and boiled eggs. Everything was the uniform perfect size so every ingredient worked exceptionally well with the other.<br />
<br />
I use the same principles of potato salad preciseness as my father with what I call the Crispy Hot German Potato Salad. I like to serve this with grilled sausages and sauerkraut...Lederhosen optional!<br />
<span id="ctl00__ContentPlaceHolder__lbl_name"></span><br />
2 1/2 lb Yukon Gold Potato<br />
1/2 lb Bacon<br />
1 Medium Red Onion<br />
1/4 Cup Crushed Garlic <br />
1/8 Cup Chopped Chives or Scallions<br />
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar<br />
1 Tsp Brown Sugar<br />
Paprika to taste<br />
Fresh Dill<br />
1/8 Cup Stone Ground Mustard<br />
Olive Oil<br />
Salt and Pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Boil the Yukon Gold Potato's and refrigerate overnight. Slice the cold potato's into 1/4 inch rounds and set aside. Dice the bacon into 1/2 inch slices and fry it in a cast iron frying pan until crisp and set aside. Fry the onions and the garlic in a trace amount of the bacon grease until translucent and set aside. Fry potato rounds in the olive oil until reasonably crispy on both sides.<br />
<br />
Combine red onion, garlic, chives, bacon, cider vinegar, and the stone ground mustard and toss with potato's and return to the frying pan for a final crisping on both sides. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with paprika, chives, and fresh dill.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-19246884798805259732011-10-06T14:21:00.000-07:002011-10-06T18:44:48.075-07:00Root Beer Short RibsRoot Beer Short Ribs are all the rage these days. They are hearty, easy to make, economical, and quirky enough even to impress everyone at your next dinner party. I like to serve them over smashed red potato's with something green on the side such as steamed green beans, asparagus, or brussel sprouts.<br />
<br />
Make sure you use a good quality cane sugar based root beer. No matter where you are in the country there is a fantastic boutique root beer. A couple of examples readily available in the Chicago area would be IBC, Stewarts, Goose Island, or Sprecher.<br />
<br />
What makes this recipe different is kicking it up a notch with smoked chipolte powder and adding some richness by adding demi-glace while finishing the sauce.<br />
<br />
4-1/2 pounds beef short ribs<br />
Sea salt and pepper<br />
Garlic powder<br />
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1" wedges<br />
1 bunch celery, cut into 1-1/2" pieces<br />
12 baby carrots, cut into 1-1/2" pieces<br />
8 sliced garlic cloves<br />
10 sprigs of fresh thyme<br />
4 bay leaves<br />
2 sprigs rosemary<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
2 whole star anise<br />
1 teaspoon <a href="http://www.chipotlepowder.com/">smoked chipolte powder</a><br />
One 1.5 package of <a href="http://www.gatewaygourmet.com/demi.htm">demi-glace gold</a><br />
3-1/2 cups beef broth<br />
2 cups root beer<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 275<sup>o </sup>F. Season ribs generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In an 8-quart Dutch oven, heat oil to high. In batches, brown ribs on all sides, about 20 minutes total. Transfer ribs to a plate and pour off all but 2 Tablespoons fat from pot.<br />
<br />
Add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, cumin, smoked chipolte pepper, and star anise. Cook until the onions are soft which usually takes about five minutes.<br />
<br />
Return the ribs to the pot and add broth and root beer. Bring to a rapid simmer, cover, and place pot in oven. Cook until meat can be easily pierced with the tip of a pairing knife, about 3 hours. With a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to a large straight-sided skillet; discard solids by pouring/straining liquid through a sieve or strianer. Skim off fat from cooking liquid. If you have time, place liquid in the refrigerator for a little while, making it easier to discard the fat that will accumulate on top.<br />
<br />
Add demi-glace gold to strained liquid. Boil liquid and ribs over medium-high heat until liquid is reduced by half which takes about 20-30 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it and move the sauce around to add a glaze to the ribs.<br />
<br />
<b>Smashed Garlic-Bacon-Onion Red Potato's</b><br />
<br />
8 medium red potatoes<br />
1/4 cup chopped garlic<br />
1/4 cup finely chopped onion<br />
4 strips chopped bacon<br />
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano <br />
<br />
Cover the taters with cold water in a 3- to 4-qt pot and add 1 tbsp salt. Boil until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes. Transfer to a baking sheet and lightly crush to about 3/4 inch thick with a potato masher, keeping potatoes intact as much as possible.<br />
<br />
Finely chop four strips of bacon. Fry bacon in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it light brown and remove. Reserve the oil and add garlic and onions to the skillet and cook till translucent and remove. Add potato's to skillet and top with the onions, garlic, and bacon then lower heat to medium-low and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 20 minutes total. Serve sprinkled with cheese. Season generously with pepper.<br />
<br />
Serves 6-8John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-63093896114263813312010-11-16T09:02:00.000-08:002010-11-16T09:17:41.900-08:00Cajun Cornbread StuffingI've been making this recipe for around ten years and I always get requests for the recipe after thanksgiving. It isn't very complicated or fancy but it hits the spot<br /><br />One Box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix<br />One Egg<br />Milk<br />One Can Niblet Corn<br />Cayenne Pepper<br />Chopped Onions<br />Chopped Celery<br />Chopped Sweet Bell Pepper<br />Chopped Jalapeno<br />Diced and Fried Andouille Sausage<br />Chicken Stock<br />Cajun Seasoning<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Directions</span><br /><br />Follow the directions on the box of the Jiffy Mix and bake your corn bread using the egg and the milk. Add some cayenne pepper to the mixture to spice it up.<br /><br />Dice and fry the andouille sausage. Dice and saute the trinity of onions, peppers, and celery along with the andouille till they are translucent. If you like it a little hotter add a diced jalapeno to the mix.<br /><br />Break up the cooled cornbread and mix with onion, pepper, celery, andouille ,corn, and chicken broth. Season with Cajun seasoning to taste.<br /><br />Toss it in the oven and bake approximately 40 minutes at 375.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-56307915098708256032010-11-15T12:24:00.000-08:002017-11-22T12:46:54.743-08:00The Art of Making MostardaMostarda is an ancient Italian condiment that probably had its start as a way of preserving fresh fruit throughout the year. It is is very tough to find in the United States outside of a few specialty stores which import it directly from Italy.<br />
<br />
I tried it for the first time in Chicago at a restaurant called Folia in the West Loop. The owner imports it directly from the town he was born in on Amalfi Coast. I tried it with cheese and salumi and was blown away by the way it complimented the cheeses and meats. The essence of the mustard and the sweetness of the fruit gives this condiment the definition of agrodolce.<br />
<br />
Mostarda can be made many ways but it typically has the same base which consists of fresh, or dried fruit, sugar, and either Mustard Essence, or powdered mustard diluted in white wine, or white wine vinegar. For me mustard essence is the only way to go.<br />
<br />
Mustard Essence is difficult to obtain in the United States but it can be purchased while in Italy from a chemist/pharmacist. Mustard essence or the essential oil of mustard is a volatile irritant which can be highly toxic if used incorrectly. It is sold in small vials and measured out precisely with an eye dropper when used as a flavoring. A little of this stuff goes a long way. Mustard Essence is a clear concentrated liquid which won't cloud the simple syrup the fruit is steeped in over a four day period of time.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">What do I use Mostarda on?</span><br />
<br />
Traditionally Italians used it as a way to spice up boiled meats. It goes very well with a braised or boiled meats such as beef brisket. It also works well with roasted pork loin and porchetta.<br />
<br />
Mostarda makes an impressive and easy appetizer when served drizzled over various cheeses which was the way it was originally introduced to me. Your guests have never had anything like it before and they are either going to love it or hate it.<br />
<br />
(This recipe was updated 11/22/17)<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients</span><br />
<br />
10 lb Fresh Fruit<br />
5 lb Sugar<br />
Mustard Essence<br />
Fresh Orange Juice<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Step One</span> - Select and prepare the fruit<br />
<br />
The most magnificent Mostardo is made using whole pieces of fruit. So I usually look for fruit that would look good suspended in the jar by the syrup. Apples, pears, peaches, apricots, kiwi's, tangerines, oranges, mandarins, limes, cherries, quinces, cranberries, strawberries, mangoes, are a few of the choices you can use to make great Mostardo.<br />
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I also sometimes add walnuts or hazelnuts to the mixture to add a crunch texture to contrast with the soft fruit. Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of combination's. I sometimes add thinly sliced Jalapeno's to the mixture to kick up a little heat. Some folks might be inclined to add some red chili pepper flakes too.<br />
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The first step is to peel and core the fresh fruit. Apples and pears are favorite ingredients which can be sliced in halves or quarters. Berries can be added whole.<br />
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When I do limes and oranges I leave the peels on but select varieties with a very thin skin and slice them extremely thin using a mandolin. I like to use mandarin oranges whole because they are visually pleasing and easy to peel.<br />
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I've recently experimented with a combination fresh and dried fruits. I really like texture and quality of the product with some dry fruit added to the mix. Pineapple, mango, papaya, kiwi, and figs are dried fruit that work well. They plump up during the process as they absorb moisture from the fresh fruit. Adding a few glazed cherries to the mix is a nice visual option.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Step Two - </span>Steeping the Fruit<br />
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Once you have your fruit prepared and loaded into a bowl you then add 1/2 pound of sugar per pound of of fresh fruit to the top of the mixture. Pour four cups of fresh orange juice over the top. You then let it sit uncovered for 24 hours giving it a turn or two to mix the ingredients along the way.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Step Three - </span>Concentrating the Syrup<br />
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After 24 hours the juice in the fruit begins to be replaced by the sugar it is absorbing. All the sugar should now be dissolved. Empty the mixture into a colander to drain it into a sauce pan. Return the fruit mixture to its bowl. Heat the syrup until it starts to boil and reduce for five minutes. Once that is done return the syrup to the bowl where the fruit is residing. Let the mixture sit for another 24 hours once again giving it a turn or two.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Step Four - </span>Concentrate the Syrup again<br />
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Repeat step three and let rest for another 24 hours. You should be noticing that your fruit is beginning to shrink which is natural because the sugar is leaching the liquid from the fruit.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Step Five - </span>Concentrate the Syrup again<br />
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Repeat step four and let rest for another 24 hours.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Step Six - </span>Concentrate the Syrup one last time<br />
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Once again repeat step five but this time we are going to prepare to season and can the mixture.<br />
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<b>Step Seven -</b> Sterilize and Pack the jars<br />
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Sterilize your jars and lids in boiling water for fifteen minutes. I prefer to use pint jars when making Mostarda. Add the fruit pieces to your jars and fill to the top. Try to be artful in how you arrange and divvy up the fruit. Mostardo just isn't a condiment in Italy it is a work of art.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Step Eight - </span>Season with Mustard Essence<br />
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Remove four ounces of the reserved syrup and add approximately 20-30 drops. Be careful to avoid contact any skin contact with this stuff and make sure that you don't get a sniff of it. After adding the fruit pour it in, and then add hot concentrated syrup to cover, tapping the jar repeatedly to dislodge air bubbles as you fill. (Safety note: I use protective gloves, goggles, and a gas mask while handing mustard essence.)<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Step Nine - </span>Canning and Storing<br />
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Cover the jars, wipe them clean, and put them on a cool dark shelf in your pantry. The Mostarda will be ready in 2 week's time. <span class="fullpost">It is not necessary to heat seal the jars. The sugar content is high enough to prohibit the formation of bacteria.</span>John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-91932485578604311902010-03-26T08:59:00.000-07:002010-03-26T21:36:26.419-07:00Rebuilding the Weber Gas GrillI bought my Weber Genesis Silver B Gas Grill back in 2001 and it has served me well over the past decade. I purchased the triple burner grill at Home Depot for around $500 so you could say that after a decade that it has payed enough dividends to be worthy of replacement with a new shiny stainless steel version. The cost for purchasing what I would like to buy in a new Weber would be around $900 plus tax.<br /><br />If I went a different direction and did a Kalamazoo or something in that category the cost can be as much as $4000. You would definitely have the coolest grill on the block but that was more expensive than my first new car back in 1976!<br /><br />To be honest I really hadn't taken really good care of the grill over the years. I never bought a cover for it so it was exposed to the elements constantly. The simple act of buying a cover probably would have extended the life of the grill at least another five years but I just never got around to parting with the extra fifty bucks to make that happen.<br /><br />When the original cast iron cooking grates needed to be replaced I replaced them with porcelain cast iron cooking grates which also rusted out after around four years. Same thing with the flavorizer bars which were replaced at the same time.<br /><br />This winter during a snow storm I went out on the deck and lifted the lid of the venerable old relic and the hinge broke off of the cast aluminum cooking box signaling the end of its useful life. When the first warm day came around I went out to examine the grill and came to the conclusion that everything except the cart was pretty much rusted out and needed to be replaced.<br /><br />I went to the Weber website soon after that looking for a new grill when I noticed that the cooking box and the lid had a lifetime guarantee and that got me thinking. Sure there are fancier grills out there but this unit had always worked perfectly for me around 99.9% of the time. It cooked steaks extremely well and it was big enough to handle most of the gatherings at our home. If I was going to buy a new grill it was going to be approximately the same size so why not see what it would cost to rebuild the existing grill since most of the cart and the thermoplastic trim pieces were in decent shape.<br /><br />I called Weber and they sent me a new lid and cooking box out to me at no cost under the guarantee. I then ordered new stainless steel burner tubes, slide-out bottom tray, catch pan holder, warming rack, warm up basket, stainless cooking grates, stainless flavorizer bars, control panel, burner control knobs, and a new left frame to replace a part of the cart which had rusted out pretty good.<br /><br />The amazing thing about Weber is you can buy a grill from them a decade or more ago and they still have the part you need in stock to keep your grill running and looking like new. Weber is very loyal to their customer base and when you give them a call they treat you extremely well.<br /><br />The total cost for all the parts to restore the grill was slightly under $300 and I now have a gas grill that looks just like new and is actually better than it was when I bought it a decade ago because of all the stainless steel parts on the inside.<br /><br />There are a lot of fancy grills on the market these days. One of the more interesting innovations are infrared ceramic burners. Since the patent rights have expired on this innovation almost every company out there has come out with some version of it for their grills.<br /><br />The advantage of the ceramic burner is the heat that it can put out. You can definitely achieve a Ruth Chris or Morton's type of char on your steaks with one of these units. You don't have a lot of warm up time with these burners either. Your turn them on and you are pretty much ready to go.<br /><br />I have friends that have them and the problem is they burn way too hot for my liking. If all you do is steaks maybe that is OK...but if you like to do other things lower and slower on your gas grill and it has a 100% ceramic burner configuration it can be real problem.<br /><br />I think that if you go that direction you should purchase a hybrid so you have a charring station powered by the ceramic burner and old fashioned burner tubes for more controllable temperature in the majority of the grill.<br /><br />Weber for some reason hasn't jumped on the ceramic bandwagon. They do have some higher priced models with a high temp char station but they haven't bought in yet as far as ceramic burners go.<br /><br />My steaks on my Weber Gas Grill just happen to be fantastically charged anyway without the use of a ceramic burner...so I didn't really feel the need to take it to the next level by going that direction.<br /><br />Getting back to rebuilding the grill. First of all it is a bit of a messy job. Make sure you buy some WD-40 and spray all the bolts, screws, washers, and nuts the night before you attempt to take the old grill apart. You will find the job will go a lot quicker if you follow that one simple step.<br /><br />Taking it all apart took around an hour and putting it all back together was a little quicker. Weber has manuals online for all their grills no matter how old they are so if you just follow the directions you should have no problem. Another thing that they do which is neat is that they send directions which each replacement part that you order.<br /><br />The bottom line on all this is there are a lot of different directions you can go when it comes to purchasing a new gas grill. I endorse Weber for the simple fact that twenty years from now they are still going to be around with the parts and advise you need to keep your grill working like new.<br /><br />Weber is the most popular brand of grills and barbecues in the world and there is a reason for that. They are a family owned American company located in the suburbs of Chicago that treats their employees and customers like family. They build quality products and they stand behind them. I guess that is why I will always have a Weber on my deck or patio.<br /><br />I plan to also purchase a Green Egg in few weeks. If you haven't been to a demonstration of what this type of grill can do you really need to check it out. We considered buying a pizza oven this year but the rep over at the BBQ store swore that the Green Egg would do just as good a job with Pizza and bread plus we could smoke and grill in it too!<br /><br />He said he hated to talk himself out of selling a wood fired pizza oven that runs around $3500 but he said the Green Egg for around $1000 with all the bells and whistles was a much better investment. The money I saved by simply rebuilding the Weber will go toward the purchase of the Green Egg.<br /><br />I do smoke a lot of ribs and brisket during the summer. I have always used a cheap Brinkman bullet type water smoker with very good results. The one thing I don't like about the unit is it is messy. I have had both the charcoal and electric versions. I prefer the electric because you are just burning wood chips and not charcoal which cuts down on the creosote plus keeps a more even temperature.<br /><br />Switching to the Green Egg for my smoking needs will represent a change in technique because it does not require water or restocking the unit with wood chips. You pretty much set it up once, leave it alone, and open it up ater a set time. I have tasted ribs and brisket done on the Green Egg and they are just as good as ones done in the little water smoker. Once we get the hang of it I will report back on how it is working.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-18375018523847346712009-12-23T16:22:00.000-08:002009-12-24T12:19:55.109-08:00Cassoulet My WayIt is winter out here in the Midwest and we all turn to comfort foods this time of year. One of my favorites is Cassoulet which is a French dish which simply means Caserole in English. There are a lot of ways of making this dish in France. Every region has a different version but the Gascony and Toulouse regions seem to be the most accepted versions. Simply put this is a bean casserole with some incredible ingredients which take more than a few steps and authentic ingredients to faithfully reproduce.<br /><br />My mom made a great bean casserole when I was a kid that consisted of hamburger, Liptons onion soup, ketchup, brown sugar, pork and beans, plus a few other odds and ends such as dry mustard that resulted in what my father used to call white trash cassoulet. I still love it today but true Cassoulet is a once a year treat we make for the New Year.<br /><br />Simply put authentic Cassoulet is the best bean casserole you have ever had in your entire life but it takes a little time and money to put together which makes it a great traditional choice for the holidays and special occasions when it is cold outside.<br /><br /><strong>Cassoulet My Way</strong><br /><br />Two Pounds Dry French Tarbais Beans (You can also use Cannellini Beans, Great Northern Beans, or Flageolet Beans.)<br /><br />Chopped Onion<br />Chopped Carrots<br />Chopped Celery<br />Crushed Garlic Cloves<br />Bay Leaf<br />Thyme<br />Parsley<br /><br />2 Smoked Ham Hocks<br />8 Confited Duck Duck Legs (Make them yourself or get them pre-made from Grimaud Farms or D'Artagnan.)<br />1 Pound French Garlic Sausage (Available fresh from D'Artagnan or make your own see below.)<br />1 Pound Duck and Armangac Sausage (Available from D'Artagnan or Sweet Italian can also be used.)<br />12 Ounces Smoked Duck Breast<br />1 Lb Ounce French Pancetta (Bacon works just as well)<br />2 Tbs Tomato Paste<br />8 oz Lb Plum Tomato<br />8 0z Lb Duck and Veal Demi Glace (You can also use chicken broth)<br />White Wine<br />Salt<br />Paprika<br />Cayenne<br />Pepper<br />Two Cups Bread Crumbs<br />Duck Fat (You could use rendered Pork Fat if you wish but you can get Duck fat inexpensively from Grimaud Farms. Duck fat is the real deal.)<br /><br />1. Soak beans in a 4-qt. bowl in 7 1⁄2 cups water overnight. Heat 2 tbsp. Duck fat in a 6-qt. pot over medium-high heat. Add half the garlic, onions, and carrots and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add ham hocks along with beans and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer beans until tender, about 1 1⁄2 hours.<br /><br />2. Transfer ham hocks to a plate; let cool. Pull off meat; discard skin, bone, and gristle. Chop meat; add to beans. Set aside.<br /><br />3. Heat 2 tbsp. Duck fat in a 5-qt. dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic, onions, and carrots; cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Fry bacon or Pancetta Tie together oregano, thyme, and bay leaves with twine; add to pan with tomatoes; cook until liquid thickens, 8–10 minutes.<br /><br />Add wine; reduce by half. Add demi-glace; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, until liquid has thickened, about 1 hour. Discard herbs; set dutch oven aside.<br /><br />4. Brown sausages in the fat, about 8 minutes. Sear Garlic Sausage and Slice Smoked Duck Breast.<br /><br />5. Heat oven to 300 degree's. Mix beans and and all ingredients stew in Caserole. Cover with bread crumbs; drizzle with remaining duck fat. Bake uncovered for three hours. Raise oven temperature to 500 degrees and cook crust till golden.<br /><br />6. Sear Confited Duck Legs in tbsp in Duck Fat until Crispy. Serve with Duck Legs on the side of the crispy Cassoulet.<br /><br />Cassoulet is heavy so serve with a light salad, marinated olives, and toasty French Bread. you could also do some potato wedges fried in Duck fat on the side if you wish.<br /><br />Bon Appetit!<br /><br /><strong>Home Made French Garlic Sausage</strong><br /><br />3-lb medium ground pork butt<br />3-tsp sugar<br />2-lb medium ground beef chuck<br />2-tsp white pepper<br />1 1/2-tbsp salt<br />10-cloves pressed garlic<br />4-tbsp liquid smoke<br /><br />Combine all ingredients, mix well & stuff into hog casing.<br /><br /><strong>Smoked Duck Breast</strong><br /><br />Remove the bone and skin from the duck breast halves. Rinse well.<br /><br />Brine<br /><br />1/2 quart of Apple cider<br />1 Cup Armangac<br />1/4 cup Kosher salt<br />1 bay leaf, crushed<br />1 clove of garlic<br />Cracked Peppercorns<br /><br />Mix the ingredients, making sure the salt is completely dissolved. This will be enough brine for up to 1 and 1/2 pounds of duck breast halves. Soak the duck in the brine at least two hours, and overnight if possible.<br /><br />After brining, give the duck a quick rinse and then pat dry with paper towels. Coat each breast half with melted Duck fat or bacon grease.<br /><br />Place the duck breasts into a 225 degree Fahrenheit meat smoker for one or two hours, depending on the size of the breast sections. Use a small amount of apple, cherry, or pear wood for the smoke.<br /><br />Duck is ideally eaten medium rare, but if you prefer well done, take them out when the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees.<br /><br />They can be eaten right away or vaccum packed and frozen for later use.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-10428380273813919432009-12-23T15:39:00.000-08:002010-03-05T14:14:12.470-08:00Duck ConfitYears ago I was in the South of France on an incentive trip where I had lunch in a medieval castle. The medieval city was great but the Duck we had at lunch was the best meal I have ever eaten in my entire life.<br /><br />The friend who was with me asked me I could you make it at home and I said sure not certain what the heck we had actually eaten. I experimented with some roasted duck legs which turned out not so good but never dreamed that the dish I had eaten had actually been cooked for around eight hours in rendered Duck fat.<br /><br />A number of year later I was at a restaurant called La Toque in Napa Valley and ordered Pork Confit and the light bulb went on. The tasty dish I had in France was Duck Confit and that was confirmed by the chef who instructed me on how to make it and other confited meats in the classical French manner.<br /><br />You may might not like Duck (probably because you never have had properly prepared Duck) but if you like bacon you are just going to love Duck Confit. The similarities between the Duck and Bacon are fat. They are both rich in it. If you know how to master Duck fat you slide up a couple of levels in the cooking chain because it just may be one of the most delectable things out there.<br /><br />Duck Confit is actually a very simple dish which takes some time in the oven coupled with the right ingredients. The most important ingredient is rendered Duck fat. You can render your own or buy it from a place like Grimaud Farms who will send it to you via UPS within two days at a very reasonable price. You could also use simple lard but why use that then you can buy the real thing inexpensively and continue to re-use it after some straining?<br /><br /><strong>Duck Confit</strong><br /><br />Eight Plump Duck Legs with Thighs<br />Kosher Salt<br />Garlic Cloves<br />Shallots<br />Rosemary<br />Black Peppercorns<br />Juniper Berries<br />Bay Leaves<br />Thyme<br />Lemon Zest<br />Rendered Duck Fat or Lard<br /><br />The key here is to take the Duck legs with thighs attached and season them to taste with the above for around 36 hours in a plastic bag in your fridge. What you are doing at this stage is curing and seasoning the Duck. Make sure you use only dry herbs.<br /><br />Confiting is simply an age old way of preserving meat. Duck Confit can last for six months in the fridge if you follow these simple steps.<br /><br />After the 36 hour curing period arrange the legs in an enameled cast iron (Le Creuset) pan. Dry the legs off and and completely cover the legs with rendered Duck fat and bake at 200 degree's for eight hours in your oven.<br /><br />Take them out of the oven and allow then too cool. Cover them with the restrained Duck fat. Make sure you have at least a one inch layer of fat on top of the legs. Store in a canning jar or whatever container you wish. The Duck will continue to cure over time and only get better but you can eat it right away if you wish.<br /><br />I like to eat mine over greens with marinated olives on the side as an accompaniment. I also use it as one of mine ingredients in Cassoulet which will be the next recipe coming up on the blog. We have it every New Years.<br /><br />If you are eating it alone I recommend that you heat up a cast iron skillet to around 350 degrees and fry the Duck skin side down until crispy and serve over greens. Ww are talking about really good eating here!<br /><br /><strong>Render your own Duck Fat? </strong><strong>Simple just roast a Duck or two for Dinner!</strong><br /><br />Duck is tricky if you don't know what you are doing. It just isn't as simple to cook as chicken but if you follow a few easy steps you can master this fowl which is much tastier than plain old storw bought chicken.<br /><br />It is pretty simple to render your own duck fat. All you do is buy a whole duck or two from the butcher. Duck usually comes frozen which is fine because like all poultry it freezes well. You can either butcher the Duck yourself or have your butcher do it for you in advance. Make sure you thaw the Duck slowly in cold running water.<br /><br />Brine it for at least two hours in a mixture of 1/2 cup Kosher Salt, 15 black peppercorns, one bunch fresh thyme, 4 smashed garlic cloves, and an acidic juice such as pineapple or orange or even a blend of the two. Juniper Berries are also a good thing to add if you want.<br /><br />Butchering a Duck is easy if you have poultry shears. Simply cut up on both sides of the back bone to seperate the duck in two. Snip off the wings. Reserve the back and wings for making your own demi glace or broth for use later. Seperate the breast from the the thigh and leg portions by making a semi circular cut and you are finished.<br /><br />The next step is scoring the breasts three ways lengthwise and across with a sharp knife. Set up a steamer and bring it to boil. Add the breast and thigh portions to a colander and steam for 45 minutes.<br /><br />In the meantime set your oven to 475 degree's and heat up a cast iron frying pan to the same temperature. Place the leg pieces skin side down in the pan and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Add the breast after that and cook for an additional 7 minutes before removing from the oven.<br /><br />You should have some very tasty and crispy Duck which is great served with some potato wedges fried in Duck fat. Most importantly make sure to skim and save the Duck fat for future uses. Freeze and it will be ready any time you need to use it.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-32494440636809786452009-11-26T11:59:00.000-08:002009-11-27T11:36:44.017-08:00Thanksgiving 2009We have twenty people coming over for dinner this year and we are doing two 16-18 lb turkeys and an 8 lb breast to cook. We are smoking one of the turkeys and it will take around 12 hours to do that. We are using the Char-Broil infrared fryer to do the other turkey and the breast.<br /><br />The Char-Broil Infrared Fryer is great because you can safely cook a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Turkey</span> outside at a rate of around of only nine minutes per pound which <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">frees</span> up a lot of time and most importantly otven space. If you don't have one of these you have to get one. They turn out absolutely perfect Turkeys plus you can use them for a variety of different things.<br /><br />I inject and dry rub all my turkeys. I find they turn out a lot moister and flavorful that way. If you have an injector it is pretty easy to make your own different mixtures. Here are a few<br /><br /><strong>Smoked Turkey</strong><br /><br />I usually use an Apple Wood or a blend of Apple and Cherry for the right blend of sweetness. I have some friends who swear by Grape Wood which is actually pretty easy to find if you live by a vineyard. Pop by a vineyard during thinning season load up the car take it home and chop it up if you have a chipper.<br /><br />I have been using a little red electric Brinkman water smoker for years. I prefer it over charcoal because it is easier to control the heat and you get pure smoke without any of the creosote you might get from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">briquet's</span>.<br /><br />I put cheap red wine, water, aromatics such as sage, rosemary, and thyme in the water pan. I also stuff the in the cavity with aromatics and place them under the skin along with rub and some butter. Butter keeps everything moist and adds good flavor.<br /><br />Smoked Turkeys take around 30-40 minutes per pound depending on the temperature of the smoker and the local weather. Make sure you use a meat thermometer. It can get cold around Thanksgiving in Chicago so with a 16 lb or bigger turkey it still isn't up to 165 degrees even after 12 hours. I just throw it into our gas grill to bring it up to safe temperature in a roasting with a little water to develop some steam finish it off.<br /><br /><strong>Smoked Turkey Injection Liquid</strong><br /><br />This is an absolutely original Smoked Turkey injection liquid which has worked well for us. What this does in combination with a 24 hour molasses brine is produce a sweet smoked turkey with ham like qualities.<br /><br />One Cube Butter<br />Jack Daniels Whiskey<br />Brown Sugar<br />Garlic Powder<br />Onion Powder<br />Powdered Sage<br />Powdered Thyme<br />Powdered Ginger<br /><br /><strong>Smoked Turkey Rub</strong><br /><br />Onion Powder<br />Paprika<br />Garlic Powder<br />Kosher Salt<br />White Pepper<br />Powdered Ginger<br />Powdered Sage<br /><br /><strong>Fried Turkey Injection Liquid</strong><br /><br />This is your basic Cajun Injection. Nothing really new here unlike above but it is the perfect way to reproduce the flavors of a Cajun fried turkey when using the infrared fryer.Another thing we do in the fryer is take a large Heineken keg can and fill it full of aromatics and stick it in the butt of Turkey.<br /><br />One Cube Butter<br />Beer<br />Chicken Broth<br />Kosher Salt<br />White Pepper<br />Garlic Powder<br />Onion Powder<br />Tabasco Sauce<br />Powdered Sage<br />Powdered Thyme<br /><br /><strong>Fried Turkey Rub</strong><br /><br />You could just use Tony Chacherie's Creole seasoning rather than blending your own.<br /><br /><br />Onion Powder<br />Garlic Powder<br />Dried Oregano<br />Dried Basil<br />Dried Thyme<br />Black Pepper<br />White Pepper<br />Celery Seed<br />Cayenne Pepper<br />Paprika<br />Kosher Salt<br /><br /><strong>Savory Turkey Injection</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />This one turned out pretty good in fact people liked the seasoning blend for this turkey the best this Thanksgiving among the Fried Turkeys.<br /><br />One Cube Butter<br />Chicken Broth<br />Kosher Salt<br />Worcestershire Sauce<br />Garlic Powder<br />Onion Powder<br />Ground Bay Leaf<br />Ground Thyme<br />Ground Sage<br /><br /><strong>Savory Turkey Rub</strong><br /><br />Kosher Salt<br />Onion Powder<br />Garlic Powder<br />Powdered Thyme<br />Powdered Sage<br />Black Pepper<br />White Pepper<br /><br /><strong>Andouille Corn Bread Stuffing</strong><br /><strong></strong><br />Making stuffing isn't the easiest process for our family because one of the kids has severe food allergies. That means everything we do has to be made from scratch including all the spice blends due to fears of cross contamination.<br /><br />We make the Corn Bread ourselves muffin style with Jiffy Corn Bread mix. Using muffins rather than loaves gives us more cruch surface area to work with. We slice the muffins into cubes and dry them out in an oven over 18 hours at 175 degrees. Getting the bed bone dry rather than stale is the key to great stuffing. For this large batch we used three boxes of muffin mix to make the muffins.<br /><br />Fry the sausage with the spice blend till browned. Add Onions, Celery, and Peppers and saute till onions are clear.<br /><br />Melt the butter, add chicken broth, and two eggs which are scrambled in. Mix everything together in a foil turkey roaster pan and roast in the oven.<br /><br />Fresh Cubed Corn Bread (Dried till bone dry)<br />Aidelle's Cajun Andouille Sausage (12 Links Diced)<br />Can of Corn Kernels (12 Ounce Can)<br />Diced Onions (6 cups)<br />Diced Red and Yellow Peppers (6 Cups)<br />Diced Celery (6 Cups)<br />Diced Jalapeno (2 small)<br />Tony Chacherie's Creole Seasoning (To taste)<br />Fresh Parsley<br />Three Cubes of Butter<br />Chicken Stock (you determine the amount depending on how moist or dry you like your stuffing)<br />Eggs (two)John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-21377017034138039972009-10-17T13:32:00.000-07:002009-10-17T13:35:32.037-07:00Fall is hereFall is here and that means football season is upon us. I have to apologize for not posting more often on the blog but I will be adding recipes to it on a regular basis.<br /><br />One thing we did get done this past summer was canning. We canned salsa, marinara, dilly beans, dixie relish, chutney, and mustard pickles in August. I will have the recipes up on the blog for all those tasty items over the next few days.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-11676179231120330952009-10-14T15:47:00.000-07:002009-10-17T13:31:08.732-07:00The Char Broil Infrared Turkey Fryer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSGVL7-Tsm8FtR5GX6uk7uUkEJJ2YgT9eeb1Z8MB5cS6-3j0A-BAPQlWXqziYbLaazFk1vdXxBgbdUQ-WSFjlczjbrJdOq7bVSQuZi5NFargTO1_X2IBtB9wOr3FRF3WaJ7ookTlcd1U/s1600-h/charbroil_infrared_chicken_Fryer.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392593114650406322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSGVL7-Tsm8FtR5GX6uk7uUkEJJ2YgT9eeb1Z8MB5cS6-3j0A-BAPQlWXqziYbLaazFk1vdXxBgbdUQ-WSFjlczjbrJdOq7bVSQuZi5NFargTO1_X2IBtB9wOr3FRF3WaJ7ookTlcd1U/s320/charbroil_infrared_chicken_Fryer.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>One of the cooler things we purchased in the last year was the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">CharBroil</span></span> Infrared Turkey Fryer. You can pick one up at Costco, Sam's Club, or a number of other retailers. </div><div></div><div>It looks like a large deep fryer but there the similarities end. This is a propane powered infrared roaster, black steel on the outside and stainless steel on the inside. It doesn't cook as fast as a deep fryer would. Typically a fryer cooks at 4 minutes a pound while this unit is closer to 9 minutes. This means you can get a 16-pound turkey (largest recommended size) in about 2 1/2 hours. Still much faster than you would get out of your oven. One of the advantages is that you can load up this bird with injections, rubs and even stuffing before it goes into cook.</div><div></div><div>Frying a Turkey in peanut oil is expensive and it can be dangerous if you have had a few cocktails and don't know what you are doing. Oil runs about thirty dollars a batch and that greatly increases the price of a turkey. We have done a number of turkeys in this thing and every single one has turned out perfect.</div><div></div><div>With any turkey I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">recommend</span> that you brine it for 12-24 hours before you cook it. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Brining</span></span> makes sure the bird will stay extra juicy. We also are big fans of injecting the bird with an oil or butter based marinade of your choice and stuffing fresh herbs under the skin.</div><div></div><div>I did a bird for the Washington at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Notre</span></span> Dame football game a couple of weeks ago and it was a big hit. Surprisingly though the biggest hit was a spiral cut ham with a Jack Daniels <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">glaze</span> which wasn't shabby either.</div><div></div><div>Anyway if you don't have one of these things you need to buy one. We fry a bird and smoke a bird for thanksgiving out on the deck without giving up any oven space <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">which</span> is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">crucial</span> for all the great sides you want to make!</div><div></div><div>Check this <a href="http://www.charbroil.com/Consumer/ProductSeriesPromo.aspx?ProductSeriesID=95">puppy</a> out here.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-55153109776926652212008-03-29T17:20:00.000-07:002008-03-29T17:48:58.908-07:0016 Bean Ham Bone SoupThe other day my mother in law Joy called me to remind me that I had a ham bone in the fridge left over from Easter. Spiral cut ham is one of the many features of our annual Easter Brunch, and we always reserve the bone after we are done to make a soup.<br /><br />We usually have 25-30 people show up which means we are dead for at least the next week, so making some soup is a nice simple way to enjoy some home cooking after the leftovers are gone.<br /><br />This year while perusing the food aisle of the local Jewel-Osco I spied bags of a dried 16 bean mixture. Usually I go with traditional split pea, but I decided the cornucopia I ran into was worth trying instead this year.<br /><br />I start up by boiling the ham bone in water with some salt, pepper, diced onions, carrots, celery, shallots, and minced garlic. For convenience sake I just reach into the fridge and use a scoop of the pre-chopped garlic.<br /><br />I bring this mixture to a boil and let it simmer for 3-4 hours in a stock pot. When the water gets a little low I add some more. Once it is done simmering I remove the bone and dice up the ham and add it back to the mixture, be sure to remove all the bone.<br /><br />The beans are simple, you either soak them over night, or you bring them to a boil and cover them for an hour so they soften up before you use them which works just as well. An hour in to simmering the bone and stock just add the beans, let them cook till they soften up to the consistency you prefer, and you are ready for some good eating. Oh ya, make sure you rinse the beans well before, and after cooking.<br /><br />When the water gets a little low I add some more. Once it is done simmering I remove the bone and dice up the ham and add it back to the mixture, be sure to remove all the bone.<br /><br />One thing I noticed was how expensive dried beans were, I mean $2.59 for a small bag? These things used to cost as little as .49. I guess if you like beans, and you have a dry place to store them like a bucket, you can buy them in bulk which seems to be the best way to shop these days. The chain super markets just kill you on most items. I mention this because back in college we could whip up a big batch of this soup for under a buck since they used to almost give away ham hocks and dried beans.<br /><br />Meaty Ham Bone, or Ham Hocks<br />Water<br />2 bags of dried 16 bean mix<br />Diced Onion<br />Diced Carrots<br />Diced Celery<br />minced garlic<br />Seasoning Salt<br />Pepper<br />Dashes of tabasco<br /><br />No exact recipe measurements?<br /><br />Thats right, just season and add ingredients to taste. Not smoky enough? Add a dash of liquid smoke.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-9713490209924775882007-04-21T13:24:00.000-07:002007-04-21T16:35:21.978-07:00Argentine Chimichurri SauceMy wife wants to celebrate a friends birthday, and her recent engagement while they were on vacation in Argentina. She decided to throw a surprise party next Saturday, and invite 14 people to an Argentine Feast to recreate the memory of their engagement.<br /><br />Argentine cuisine evolved distinctly from the rest of Latin American cuisine because of the heavy influence of Italian, Spanish, French and other European cuisines which makes the typical Argentine diet a variation on what is often called the Mediterranean diet.<br /><br />Argentines are famous for their high protein diet, particularly beef. Grilled meat (parrilla) from the asado is a staple, with steak and beef ribs especially common. Chorizo (pork sausage), morcilla (blood sausage), chinchulines (chitterlings), mollejas (sweetbread), and other parts of the animal are enjoyed. In Patagonia, lamb and chivito — goat — are eaten more than beef. Whole lambs and goats can be seen on the asado. While Argentina has a large seacoast most of the fish caught is exported, and is not consumed there because of the abundance of beef, pork, and poultry.<br /><br />South America is quickly gaining recognition for producing wines of exceptional quality that are still reasonably priced. Argentina and Chile have taken Old World grapes and found varieties uniquely suited to their particularly long growing seasons.<br /><br />One up and coming variety is Malbec. Originally from the Bordeaux region where it is used primarily as a blending grape, Malbec is also the dominant grape of the famous black wines of Cahors in southwest France. But it truly thrives in the sunny, dry Argentine climate, producing fruity wines loaded with blackberry and black cherry flavors. Argentine Malbecs are similar in flavor to their European counterparts, but with softer, lusher structure, more like New World Merlot.<br /><br />Lesser known is Carmenère, a variety once widely cultivated in Bordeaux and sometimes labeled Grande Vidure. In 1991 winemakers discovered that 40 percent of the vines in Chile that were believed to be Merlot were actually Carmenère. Stronger and spicier than Merlot and lower in acidity, this grape produces wines with soft tannins, rich color and aroma, and abundant flavor. Ever since Chile began actively marketing Carmenère in the mid-1990s, it has come to symbolize that nation, much as Shiraz has come to represent Australia.<br /><br />The national sauce of Argentina is called Chimmichurri, and if you are going to have an Argentine Feast you will need lots of it on hand. This recipe comes from my friend David Holt, and it will make 3 cups which is about what we need for marinating, basting, and dipping.<br /><br />The taste of Chimichurri is often described as dragging your steak through a garden.<br /><br /><strong>Chimichurri Sauce</strong><br /><br />1/2 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley<br />1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves<br />4 garlic cloves, minced<br />1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar, or to taste<br />3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or to taste<br />1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped<br />2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped<br />1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />1 teaspoon salt or to taste<br />Juice of 1 lemon ( I sometimes just use limes)<br />Freshly ground black pepper to taste<br /><br /><strong>Argentinian Feast Menu</strong><br /><br />We are going to put together a menu from the following items. I will be sharing the recipes for everything throughout the week as we plan the dinner party.<br /><br /><strong>Main Dishes</strong><br /><br />The Argentines love their organ meats, while Americans of this generation are a little bit squeamish when it comes to such things as sweetbreads. We are going to keep it simple by using Flank Steak which marinates well, and slices easily. We are also going to use some fresh sausages of various types.<br /><br />The marinated game hens weigh about 1 pound each, and I have the butcher saw them in half. I marinate them the night before, grill them in the morning to get a nice char, then finish them in the oven stuffed with a mixture of chorizo, spinach, caramelized onion, corn, raisins, pine nuts, and a little bit of cornbread to hold it all together. You can use any type of game bird, but split game hens are easy to marinate, safe to stuff, easy to order, and make an elegant presentation.<br /><br />For the seafood we try to find the freshest white fish available and grill it with a finish of capers, and marinated artichokes.<br /><strong></strong><br />Chimichurri Flank Steak<br />Grilled Sausages Basted with Chimichurri sauce<br />Marinated Games Hens<br />Fresh Snapper or other white ocean fish<br /><br /><strong>Side Dishes</strong><br /><br />Sides are simple in Argentina, and as you would guess corn plays a major role, but with an Italian twist. A polenta with Poblano chiles and cheese works well as a starch.<br /><br />Salads are very simple in Argentina, and are a popular side to beef dishes. the Fresh Mozzarella, and sliced tomato harken back to the Italian influence.<br /><br />Grilled Asparagus and Baby Squash<br />Polenta with Poblano Chile, and Cheese<br />Tomato's and Fresh Mozzarella<br />Tossed Green Salad<br /><br /><strong>Assorted Miniature Emapanda's</strong><br /><br />Empanadas, or small meat pies are served all over the world. The Argentine version has Moorish influences that came over with Spanish settlers. Empananda's are easy to make if you purchase Goya wrappers at a Latin Market. If not just use pie dough and make your own. The meat recipe we will use is strictly Argentine with cumin, chorizo, and raisins, etc... . the others are just ones we thought up as we were going. We decided to make our own because the one's we found pre-made were pretty pedestrian.<br /><br />Meat Empanadas<br />Bacon Empanadas<br />Seafood Empanadas<br /><br /><strong>Assorted Miniature Tamales</strong><br /><br />Yes, they do have variations of Tamales all over South America. We cheated here by buying some from <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku8933145/index.cfm?bnrid=3100117&cm_ven=WS&cm_cat=General&cm_pla=SiteMap&cm_ite=Products&CM_REF=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fsourceid%3Dnavclient%26aq%3Dt%26ie%3DUTF-8%26rls%3DRNWG%2CRNWG%3A2004-40%2CRNWG%3Aen%26q%3Dwilliams%2Bsonoma%2Btamales">Williams Sonoma</a>. They are excellent, individually wrapped in different colors. They are a great time saver if you can spare the $64 including shipping for three pounds of these puppies. Sure you can make them at home for a fraction, but why bother when you have so many other things going on before a big party?<br /><br />Beef and California Chile Tamales<br />Chicken and Smoked Gouda Tamales<br />Pork with Green Chile Tamales<br />Blue Corn Green Chile and Jack Cheese Tamales<br /><br /><strong>Charcuterie </strong><br /><p>Argentina like Spain is known for Jambon which is a dry cured ham which is very similar to Prociutto. We make it easy on ourselves and purchase sliced Italian specialty meats including prosciutto, garnished with cheese, olives, and large capers.</p><p><strong>Ceviche Cocktails</strong></p>Ceviche is a native dish of Peru, but it served all over Latin America, and the Caribbean. Ceviche consists of white fish cooked in lime juice with red onions and mild hot peppers.<br /><br /><br /><strong></strong>John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-90146172268178974752007-04-11T08:02:00.000-07:002007-04-11T08:07:37.394-07:00Pork Tenderloin with Michigan Cherry SauceI think it's Spring, at least that is what the calendar on the wall says despite the 4 inches of snow on the ground and winds raging between 30-40 mph today in Chicago.<br /><br />This pork tenderloins recipe works well with fresh, or frozen cherries.<br /><br />1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound<br />½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt<br />½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />2 tablespoons canola oil<br />1 cup pitted Bing cherries (see note)<br />1 cup chicken broth<br />1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar<br />3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch bits<br /><br />Cut the pork tenderloin into 6 pieces. Put the pieces, one at a time, between layers of plastic wrap and use a meat tenderizer or rolling pin to pound them into rounds about 4 inches across. Sprinkle the rounds with the salt and pepper.<br /><br />Put the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, and when the oil is hot, cook the pork, turning once, until the surface of each piece is golden brown, about 7 minutes altogether.<br /><br />Use tongs or a fork to transfer the pork to a plate. Toss the cherries in the oil left behind in the pan. Pour the chicken broth and balsamic vinegar over the cherries and turn the heat to high.<br /><br />When the broth has boiled down to about half its original volume and the cherries are tender, about 5 minutes, return the pork to the pan, along with any juices that have collected on the plate.<br /><br />Reheat the pork in the sauce for a minute, then transfer it to serving plates. Swirl the butter into the pan juices and pour the sauce over the pork.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6067705935456558932.post-87740379120104179952007-04-09T09:19:00.000-07:002007-04-09T09:24:09.096-07:00April ShowersWell, here we are in April and I have gotten a little behind in updating the blog. I think one of the reasons is we have gotten a little repititious in our meal planning at home as the weather cooled back down. Nothing stifles the creativity more than a cold snap in early Spring. If you are not in Chicago I want you to know that we had a White Easter.<br /><br />The Lenten diet ended on Good Friday, but I really wasn't able to take advantage of much because of the holiday. That's right, no Culver Burger. The diest worked well, in six weeks I shed 23 pounds which isn't bad. Anyway we will have some more recipes up soon as we get back into the swing of things.John Berkowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02506119469461963535noreply@blogger.com0