A note on the Parmesan, I saw this on some cooking show, I just can’t remember which one! An easy way to get the most out of your Parmesan pieces is to reserve the crust and freeze them.  Basically, when you buy a piece of Parmesan, there is always that last bit of hard darker brown crust, that usually is thrown away.  Instead, reserve and freeze it. Then you can enhance the flavors of stock or soup by trimming,  and then just letting it simmer with the soup.  Later, just remove and discard the leftover piece. Now you have a greatly enriched soup!

Vegetable Soup
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1 med. onion julienne
2 stalks celery diced
3 med. carrot diced
4 oz. Crimini mushrooms diced
1 med. turnip diced
2 cups cooked farro
4 med. yukon gold potatoes diced
*peeled and cooked in the microwave for 5min on power-level 5
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbsp. dry oregano
2 tbsp dry basil
1 tbsp tarragon
2 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dry rosemary
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 can whole tomatoes
1 bag frozen corn
1 bag frozen green beans
1 bag frozen broccoli pieces
1 box Kitchen Basics Beef Broth
1 large piece reserved Parmesan crust
2 tbsp. Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
In a large stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil.  Heat until fragrant.  Saute onions dressed with salt and pepper to taste. After a minute add mushrooms. Allow to mushrooms to brown and breakdown, about 2 minutes. Add carrot, celery and saute for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and mix to combine. As the tomato paste browns, add in spices; garlic, cayenne, oregano, basil, tarragon, bay leaf and rosemary. Stir to combine and allow to cook for 2 minutes. Open a can of whole tomatoes and pour off the juice into the pot and stir to combine. The tomato paste and the juice should begin to form a thick sauce. By hand, take the tomatoes from the can and hand crush into the pot. Stir and let cook for 1 minute. Add frozen vegetables; corn, green beans and broccoli. Add beef stock and stir to combine. Add Parmesan piece. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in farro and potatoes. The farro and the potatoes will help thicken the soup. Set heat to medium and let the pot simmer for 25min. When ready, remove the Parmesan and discard.

Serve with garlic bread or a cheese toasty.

Four Pepper Chili con carne

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2 – 2.5lbs ground beef – 3 – 4 patties

1 medium onion

1 Green Bell pepper – 1/4″ dice

1  Ancient Sweets Red Pepper – 1/4″ dice

1 Poblano Pepper – 1/4″ dice

4 chipotle peppers from a can of Chipotle in Adobo sauce – whole

2 cloves garlic – pressed

3 tbsp Dwain’s not-so-secret spice mix

1 sm. can of tomato paste

1 box Kitchen Basics Beef Broth

1 med. can of Brook’s chili beans

2 tsp cocao powder

2 tsp dried thyme

Salt – to taste

Pepper – to taste

Heat a large pot over high heat until just smoking.  Sear the meat patties until brown, then break up into desired size.  Lower heat to medium high and add in onion.  Salt and pepper as desired.   Cook for about 1min, then add in all peppers except the chipotle.  Stir and cook for 2 minutes allowing the vegetables to begin to soften.  Add in 2 tbsp of Dwain’s-Not-So-Secret-Spice mix, thyme, cocoa powder and garlic.  Stir to incorporate and cook for 1 min.  Add in tomato paste and mix to combine.  Cook until tomato paste begins to carmelize, approximately 4 minutes.  Add half the beef stock and stir.  The tomato paste acts as the thickening agent for the soup, so we add in half and stir to determine the desired consistency.  Add in more beef stock if desired.  Add in Chipotle peppers, add more peppers if you like more spice!  Turn down the heat until the chili is just simmering and allow the chili to cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.   Add in the chili beans and stir to combine.  Check the consistency and add more beef stock as desired.  Add in the final tbsp of spice mix.   Allow beans to heat through.  Stir, taste and adjust seasonings.  You can remove the chipotle peppers if desired or mash them into the chili.

Makes about 8 – 10 servings

Summary

For best results:

• Portion meat into patties
• Meat should be dry
• Salt the meat before browning
• Use High heat
• Brown then breakup meat

The following technique is a basic technique that is helpful in many recipes.  The goal here is to sear the meat to create characteristic ”nutty, meaty, roasted, toasted, burnt, or caramel” flavors.

This is provided via the chemical reaction called, the Maillard reaction.  The Maillard reaction (pronounced may-YAR) is a chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar, usually requiring heat.  The browning reactions that occur when meat is roasted or seared are complicated and occur mostly by Maillard browning with contributions from other chemical reactions including the breakdown of the tetrapyrrole rings of the muscle protein myoglobin.  Furthermore, high temperature, low moisture levels, and alkaline conditions all promote the Maillard reaction.   In cooking, low moisture levels are necessary mainly because water boils into steam at 212 °F (100 °C), whereas the Maillard reaction happens noticeably around 310 °F (154 °C): significant browning of food does not occur until all surface water is vaporized.

So what does all this mean?  Well, to promote that great seared flavor, we need to provide the best environment for the Maillard reaction, ie. high temperature, low moisture and an alkaline condition.  This means we need to have a really hot pan with a flat surface to provide maximum surface area for heat transfer.  A raised grill surface, for say a grill pan, is also effective, but it is effective because they maintain a high temperature (cast iron), but also because the channels allow for the moisture to be channeled away.  However, the browning will be only on the areas in direct contact with the cooking surface, eg. grill marks.  For this instance, I will focus on using a flat surface pan.   Other conditions, such as high alkaline environment, really just means, salt your food well before you sear.  The last item, low moisture is important.  This means if we are to sear a steak, we would want to pat the meat down with a paper towel to wick away excess moisture.

For ground meat applications, this also has an impact.  Instead of just placing the ground meat in the pan, which then would allow all the juices to mingle and essentially just boil the meat rather than sear, we can patty the meat.  This will provide a means to provide portion control and a large surface area to brown without the release of all the juices.  Also, by using patties and a large pan, we can ensure that there is enough space between patties, so the moisture release from one patty, doesn’t bleed over into another, causing more boiling than searing.  Once you have seared the meat to get the lovely browning, you can then break up the patty into smaller bits to provide you the desired consistency, for say Beef Strouganhoff or Chili con carne.

In our household, they easy way to allow this is to purchase the ground meat, but then create patties using a plastic hamburger press.  The patties are then separated by wax paper into 3 – 4 patty packs, which are then placed in a freezer bag and frozen until needed.  This means I already have items portioned for separate preparations, I just need to thaw and I will be ready to go.  *note: just remember to fully thaw and dry them right before browning!

One note on seasoning before searing.  You need to be careful.  You can salt without any issue, however, most people might attempt to season with pepper or herbs.  There are two problems here.  One, if we are using fresh herbs, this just introduces another moisture provider, which will not allow the browning we are looking for.  Two, you have to be careful not to burn the seasonings.  Herbs and spices release wonderful oils under heat to season the meat.  However, they can also burn leading to not so great flavors.  Specifically look out for paprika and fresh garlic, which can easily burn.  My recommendation is to use just salt and pepper, then apply the seasonings on the grill after the meat is broken up.  If I am attempting to keep the patty together, I might consider working in the spiced throughout the patty, rather than just on the top.

On a short side note, you have probably heard, I sear it to seal in the juices.  This is a fallacy, it just doesn’t happen.  You sear to get the wonderful flavors, not to form a rocky crust which somehow envelops the meat to contain the juice.  See here for more detail.

Recipe

1.5 – 2lbs meat *pattied into 3 – 4 patties

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Using 1 large, flat surfaced, grill pan, preferably cast iron, heat over medium high heat until just smoking.  Wipe down patties with a paper towel to remove excess water.  Salt and pepper the patties on both sides.  Place the patties on the grill with 1 – 2 inches of space between them, they should not be touching.  Allow the patties to brown 1 – 2 minutes depending on the intensity of the heat.  Flip the patty, moving the patty to an area that was not previously used for maximum heat.  The patty should be a light brown to dark brown color, if the color is more black than brown, you waited to long.  Brown the other side.  Once the patty is browned, break up the patty using a wooden spoon into the desired size.

Red Sangria
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1 bottle 750ml Red Wine – cheap is good, in this case I used Sutter Home Zinfandel  which was a whole $6 at the County Market
1/3 cup. Orange Juice
1/3 cup simple syrup w/ kirschwasser (Lucky’s choice sprinkling on her cakes)
1/3 cup Triple Sec
1/3 cup Brandy / I used Calvados because it is what I had

1 cup white grapes split

1 cup blue berries

1 cup strawberries split

2 plums sectioned
1 lime sectioned
1 cup cherries split
1 long sprig mint
2 sprigs basil
3 whole star anise
Seltzer water *we just used Faygo flavored water for top up

In a large pitcher combine all fruit;blueberries, strawberries, grapes, plums, limes, cherries and herbs (mint and basil) and spices (star anise).   Pour in 1 bottle of wine and other components; triple sec, brandy, syrup and orange juice. Stir to combine. Put in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
To serve, portion some fruit into a glass, then pour the glass 3/4 full. Top up with seltzer.

Breakfast doesn’t usually go off at the home front without eggs. Usually, I just put a couple fried eggs on top of whatever left over is available and call it breakfast. Same idea here for lunch. Though, I thought I’d seen a similar idea on a cooking show.  All else, I know the Japanese love their eggs over rice bowls.  I just prefer mine a little more cooked.

The basics of this dish is make a quick curry with veg on-hand, then bring the sauce to a low simmer and crack the eggs into the sauce. Let them poach until firm.

Thai Curry Panang (Dwain-style anyway)
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1/2 cu of coconut milk (solids from can)
1 small onion halved and sliced fine
1 clove garlic
2 tsp. thai red chili’s (mine were from the store-bought jar)
1 tsp. lemongrass (squeezy bottles in stores are great for this)
1 tsp. ginger
1/3 cu. carrots diced on bias
1/3 cu. celery diced on bias
2 tsp peanut butter
1 tsp. Soy paste
1 tsp Fish Sauce
1/4 tsp thai basil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Chicken stock
Sriracha to taste
Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Over medium high heat, in a wok or sided saute pan, place coconut milk solids. Let solids melt and bubble until most of the water is removed, essentially making it coconut oil, about 1 min. Add onions, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, thai red chili and cook for 30 seconds while stirring. Add celery and carrots, toss to coat and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add peanut butter, soy paste and fish sauce to pan and stir into sauce. If sauce is too thick add chicken stock to thin to just coating the back of a spoon consistency. Lower heat to medium, allowing the sauce to simmer and soften the vegetables, approximately 2 minutes. Add thai basil, stir to incorporate. Thin sauce as required with chicken stock again. Crack whole eggs into sauce, allowing for space between. Allow eggs to cook, spooning sauce over egg yolks occasionally. Cook to desired hardness.
To plate, Spoon sauce and vegetables into a wide bowl, being careful not to break the eggs. Add steamed white rice in a mound in the center. Carefully plate the eggs over the rice. Garnish with cilantro and a little more Sriracha.

Note: additional veg, if I’d had it on-hand, would’ve been sliced sweet red peppers.

Italian / Catalan -esque white bean stew

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3 slices smoked bacon

1 med onion – fine dice

1 stalk celery – fine dice

2 cloves garlic (pressed)

1 bay leaf

1 large bunch spinach (stems trimmed off)

6 sun-dried / smoked tomatoes (softened in 1 cup boiling water)

1 can Cannelloni beans (16 oz)

1 cup homemade tomato sauce *see the tomato sauce recipe in the stuffed zucchini recipe.

1/8 tsp pimenton (spanish paprika)

salt (to taste)

pepper (to taste)

In a large saute pan render bacon.  Remove bacon to paper towel and drain off till only 1 Tbsp of oil remains in pan.  Saute onion over medium heat, season with salt and pepper.  Saute till translucent.  Add celery, till softened (2 min).  Add garlic, stir and then add the spinach.  Toss spinach in pan until spinach is reduced.  Add a bay leaf.  Add homemade tomato sauce and stir to combine.   Add cannelloni beans (drained).  Stir to combine.  Add sun-dried tomatoes with soaking liquid.  Season with salt, pepper and Spanish pimenton (smoked paprika).  Let it all simmer to combine (10 min).

Plate in bowls, topping with diced bacon for garnish.

*Note: if you don’t have the tomato sauce, use 2 tbsp tomato paste with water or stock to reach the desired consistency.

There are a couple of good tips for good fried rice:

1. Use rice that has been cooked and allowed to sit over-night in the fridge.  This allows all the grains to really separate well.

2. Oyster Sauce – this was a tip I learned from a lady while in TX.  She had offered an in home cooking course for the local public TV station.  Jen and I got it and had a few friends over.  That’s where I learned my special tricks for oriental cooking, making rice, oyster sauce for fried rice, corn starch for crispy breading, and ginger wine.  So special thanks to Gee Gee Bessey and her hand book : Wok With Gee Gee.  It was only a couple of hours, but I’ve been using those tips and tricks ever since!  I’ll probably hit the ginger wine and corn starch tricks on a later post.

Fried rice is a great fridge cleaner.  I usually have celery, carrot, onion for mirepoux, so this is an easy go to for clean-out dinners.  This also uses up leftover (“prepared”) meats – pork, chicken, beef or shrimp.

Since you are Stir-frying, which is a high heat method, you must be prepared to add your ingredients.  This mean Mise En Place, everything in its place!  Have all of your veg chopped and ready to add.  I like to use little bowls to hold the prepared ingredients, and then just dump in.  Mise en place,  is not just for those TV cooks!  Mise en place will make you a better cook AND make cooking more enjoyable!

Pork Fried Rice

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1 Tbsp – Vegtable Oil (Sunflower / Peanut preferred)

2 celery ribs – cut on bias

2 carrots – diced

1 med. onion – fine dice

8 oz Shiitake Mushroom – sliced

1.5 cup Pork = pre-cooked and cut into small cubes

1 egg – mixed with fork

2 garlic cloves – crushed and diced

1 tbsp grated ginger or prepared ginger (squeezy ginger works great!)

3 cups cooked rice (cooled overnight in fridge)

1 can bamboo shoots – drained

1 can water chestnuts (sliced) – drained

3 Tbsp Oyster sauce

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 tsp Fish Sauce

2 tsp Mirin

white pepper to taste

In a large wok, heat vegetable oil on high.  Add and stir-fry onion and season with salt to assist in drawing out the moisture.   Continuously stir-fry the onion for 30 sec, as the high heat may cause it to burn.  Add mushrooms, and continue to stir fry for another 30 sec.  Turn down heat to medium high, add carrot and celery and stir-fry for 1 min.  Add pork and stir fry for 30 sec.  Move contents up the sides of the wok, exposing the bottom.  Add egg to bottom and scramble.  Add garlic and ginger to egg and continuously stir for 30 sec.  Stir cooked egg into other ingredients.  Add Bamboo shoots and Water chestnuts and stir for 1 min.   Turn heat down to medium.  Add cooked rice and stir in to combine.  Add in seasonings – Oyster sauce, Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Mirin, white pepper.  Allow to heat through completely on low heat.  Serve with soy sauce and Sriracha on the side.

Additions:

I always like to use bean sprouts or maybe some Thai basil to liven it up.

To add a little crunch, peanuts are a good topping or chow mein noodles.

Due to lack of ingredients, there’s gonna be a couple of changes to the menu.  I had no luck getting a lamb shoulder.  Drat.  I’ve always wanted to do that.  Big ‘ol hunk roasting in the oven, with garlic, rosemary, plenty of olive oil.  Well, doesn’t look like it is going to happen this time around.  What I did find was a big whopping pork loin.  I mean the whole darn back of the pig.  I believe Alton Brown would call it a primal cut.  Darn thing practically won’t fit in the fridge.  Better yet, it was on sale.  So I only paid about $14 for the whole thing.  Dang.  Party estimates are running about 60 people, if everyone invites a guest.  60 people.  Yeah, most I’ve done is about 20 before.  Should be… fun…

Since I couldn’t find lamb to do the Shepherd’s pie, I’m going to have to go off topic and try little mini kebabs.  Jaime Oliver has a nice recipe which I’ll riff on. see : posh roast pork party kebabs I’ll probably go make some Tzatziki sauce, as I already have the yogurt and cucumber ready to go.  I’ll just need to find some mini pitas or something.  Add in a little greens, tomato, and that’s a good dish to feed a ton of people.

Also, unfortunately, I think I won’t have time to try the Yorkshire pudding.  Instead, I’m going to go with a bread pudding with whiskey sauce.  I only had Gail’s Triffle as a sweet, so this is probably a better sub.

Menu

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Steak and Guinness Pie

posh roast pork party kebabs

Colconnon

Mushy Peas (Minted Peas) – Jamie’s Dinners Pg 21.

Fruit and Cheese tray with:

Stilton, Irish Cheddar, crackers

Gherkins, Apples, Dates, almonds, dried cherries

Bread pudding with Whiskey sauce

Triffle (Gail)

I’ve already got the Steak and Guinness pie innards cooking away over night in the dutch oven.  I’ll shred the meat then probably add a couple sauted parsnip and turnip to fill out the casseroles.  Day of the event, I’ll just slap on a puff pastry lid and bake till the pastry is done and the casserole is bubbly.