My mum makes really good dill pickles (we all fight over the jars), but there's only so many times you can have hamburgers! You'll need toothpicks or short skewers to hold these rolls together.
Mats:
Beef chuck roast, about 2.5 lbs
Whole grain mustard
6 slices of bacon
6 spears dill pickles, or 2 whole ones you spear yourself
Large yellow onion, sliced
4 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced or thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2c dry red wine
2 1/2c beef stock
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp flour
How-to:
Slice the chuck roast against the grain into 6 cuts. Pound the cuts as thin as you can get them without tearing the meat.
Working with one slice at a time, spread 1Tbsp mustard over the surface, then lay a strip of bacon, a pickle spear and a few slices of onion along the narrow end. Roll into a tight package and secure with a toothpick. Repeat until you've rolled them all up.
Melt 2Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the beef rolls. It takes about 3 min a side to get nice and seared. Don't overcrowd the pan!
When done cooking, transfer the rolls to a plate. Add the remaining onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another 4 minutes.
Add wine, reduce until almost all evaporated. Add the beef rolls back to the skillet, then stir in stock and bay leaf. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Turn the rolls over so the other side is submerged and cook for another 30 minutes.
Transfer the rolls to a plate and remove toothpicks.
Strain the stock into a bowl, the add the remaining butter to the pan and melt over medium-high. Add the flour and stir around to make a roux! Cook for 2 minutes until the roux is nutty brown. Whisk the strained stock back into the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until thick.
Plate the rolls with a few boiled potatoes and a handful of sauerkraut and pour the pan sauce on top.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Creamy Tomato Soup (and the best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches)
One of my husband's childhood favorites. This tomato soup is worth eating, unlike the horrific canned stuff.
Tomato Soup mats
1 Tb olive oil
1 Tb butter
1 onion, chopped into 1 cm chunks
5 cloves crushed garlic
2 celery stalks, chopped into 1 cm chunks
1 carrot, chopped into 1 cm hunks
1 Tb flour
2 28oz cans whole peeled tomatoes. Or 2 of Mom's mason jars of tomatoes (14 down, 13 to go!)
1 tsp white sugar
4 leaves fresh basil
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup heavy cream. This is the smallest of the little cardboard containers they sell. Or just use regular milk.
How-To:
Melt the butter and olive oil in a pot over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Add the carrots, celery and garlic. Cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the veg from browning.
Add the flour and stir until you can't see white flour bits anymore.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir. Increase the heat to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes (uncovered! We're reducing it). If it starts to bubble so much you're getting tomato splatter, your heat is way too high. You want the bubbles to be just barely breaking the surface. Stir every 10 minutes or so.
Turn off the heat and it's time to blend. Either run it through a food processor, a blender, or your handy-dandy stick immersion blender until it's completely smooth. No chunky bits!
With the heat still off, add the cream/milk and stir to combine.
Dish into bowls and top with the basil leaves, torn/snipped into little bits.
DOUBLE FEATURE!
Awesome Grilled Cheese
Mats:
6 slices nice bread. I use sourdough because it's chewy and doesn't have a hard crust.
1/4 lb Munster cheese
1/4 lb Cheddar cheese
1/4 lb Provolone cheese
1/4 cup grated Peccorino-Romano cheese
Mayonaise
How-to:
Spread the tiniest bit of mayo on one side of all the slices of bread. You're just using it as a cheese binder. Or you can use soft butter, but mayo is, regrettably, easier to work with.
Put the bread mayo-side-down in the grated Peccorino-Romano and press gently to get the grated cheese to stick to the bread.
Put two slices each of the other cheeses on the mayo-free sides of the three sandwiches you're making.
Close the sandwiches with the other bread, cheese side out.
Grill until the cheese on the inside is melty and the cheese on the outside is crisp and browned.
Tomato Soup mats
1 Tb olive oil
1 Tb butter
1 onion, chopped into 1 cm chunks
5 cloves crushed garlic
2 celery stalks, chopped into 1 cm chunks
1 carrot, chopped into 1 cm hunks
1 Tb flour
2 28oz cans whole peeled tomatoes. Or 2 of Mom's mason jars of tomatoes (14 down, 13 to go!)
1 tsp white sugar
4 leaves fresh basil
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup heavy cream. This is the smallest of the little cardboard containers they sell. Or just use regular milk.
How-To:
Melt the butter and olive oil in a pot over low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Add the carrots, celery and garlic. Cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the veg from browning.
Add the flour and stir until you can't see white flour bits anymore.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir. Increase the heat to medium-low and cook for 25 minutes (uncovered! We're reducing it). If it starts to bubble so much you're getting tomato splatter, your heat is way too high. You want the bubbles to be just barely breaking the surface. Stir every 10 minutes or so.
Turn off the heat and it's time to blend. Either run it through a food processor, a blender, or your handy-dandy stick immersion blender until it's completely smooth. No chunky bits!
With the heat still off, add the cream/milk and stir to combine.
Dish into bowls and top with the basil leaves, torn/snipped into little bits.
DOUBLE FEATURE!
Awesome Grilled Cheese
Mats:
6 slices nice bread. I use sourdough because it's chewy and doesn't have a hard crust.
1/4 lb Munster cheese
1/4 lb Cheddar cheese
1/4 lb Provolone cheese
1/4 cup grated Peccorino-Romano cheese
Mayonaise
How-to:
Spread the tiniest bit of mayo on one side of all the slices of bread. You're just using it as a cheese binder. Or you can use soft butter, but mayo is, regrettably, easier to work with.
Put the bread mayo-side-down in the grated Peccorino-Romano and press gently to get the grated cheese to stick to the bread.
Put two slices each of the other cheeses on the mayo-free sides of the three sandwiches you're making.
Close the sandwiches with the other bread, cheese side out.
Grill until the cheese on the inside is melty and the cheese on the outside is crisp and browned.
Monday, May 2, 2016
Red Lentil and Turnip Soup
The greens in this dish can be either turnip tops, mustard greens, dandelion greens, or broccolini.
Mats:
2Tbsp olive oil. I actually used butternut squash seed oil.
2 onions, diced
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
3 turnips, chopped into bite-sized cubes
1 1/2c red lentils
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups (2 boxes) vegetable stock
1 bunch broccolini/2c other greens
How-to:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat
Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until translucent
Add the cumin, coriander, minced garlic, and turnips. Stir to coat in spices.
Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes
Puree the mixture either in a food processor or with an immersion stick until smooth
Turn the heat to medium-low, add the lentils and boil for 10 minutes
Add the greens and boil for 5 minutes
Serve with crusty bread for optimum deliciousness.
Mats:
2Tbsp olive oil. I actually used butternut squash seed oil.
2 onions, diced
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
3 turnips, chopped into bite-sized cubes
1 1/2c red lentils
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups (2 boxes) vegetable stock
1 bunch broccolini/2c other greens
How-to:
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat
Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes until translucent
Add the cumin, coriander, minced garlic, and turnips. Stir to coat in spices.
Add the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes
Puree the mixture either in a food processor or with an immersion stick until smooth
Turn the heat to medium-low, add the lentils and boil for 10 minutes
Add the greens and boil for 5 minutes
Serve with crusty bread for optimum deliciousness.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Squash and Corn Chowder
Aunt Jessie's Christmas staple. Also excellent for dreary spring days.
Mats:
1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 lbs butternut squash (or other winter squash), peeled, seeded, and chopped into large chunks
2 cups corn kernels (about 10 oz)
8c water
1c heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste. I think I ended up using about 1 Tbsp salt and 2 tsp pepper
1 lb bacon
How-to:
In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the diced onion until transparent, about 8 minutes.
Add the squash, corn, and water, then bring to a boil.
Cover, but cock the lid slightly so steam can still escape, then simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the squash is falling apart.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon and crumble.
Whisk well until the squash completely broken apart. The water should be bright orange and really only the corn should be the solidest part of the soup.
Remove from heat, then stir in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add more seasonings if it's needed.
Serve soup garnished with crumbled bacon.
Mats:
1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 lbs butternut squash (or other winter squash), peeled, seeded, and chopped into large chunks
2 cups corn kernels (about 10 oz)
8c water
1c heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste. I think I ended up using about 1 Tbsp salt and 2 tsp pepper
1 lb bacon
How-to:
In a large stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat and saute the diced onion until transparent, about 8 minutes.
Add the squash, corn, and water, then bring to a boil.
Cover, but cock the lid slightly so steam can still escape, then simmer for about 90 minutes, or until the squash is falling apart.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon and crumble.
Whisk well until the squash completely broken apart. The water should be bright orange and really only the corn should be the solidest part of the soup.
Remove from heat, then stir in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add more seasonings if it's needed.
Serve soup garnished with crumbled bacon.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
I semi-accidentally got fennel and lavender infused goat cheese. It was really, really delicious with those undertones.
Mats:
4 sweet potatoes
4 oz goat cheese
2Tbsp butter and 0.5 Tbsp butter
1 bunch broccolini
How-to:
Wash and pierce the potatoes. Bake at 400 for 50 minutes.
When the potatoes are almost done, soften 2Tbsp butter and goat cheese and mush it together to combine. I soften stuff by putting it in a microwave safe bowl and putting it on top of the toaster oven. The oven gets hot enough to get stuff gooey.
Melt the remaining 0.5Tbsp butter in a pan. Chop the broccolini into bite size bits and add to the pan. Saute for about 2 minutes. Add 1/4c water, cover, and steam for 4 minutes.
When the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, remove and cut a slit in the skin. Squish the ends into the middle slightly so the flesh kinda mounds out and the slit opens. Spoon the cheese mixture into the cavity, then top with broccolini.
Mats:
4 sweet potatoes
4 oz goat cheese
2Tbsp butter and 0.5 Tbsp butter
1 bunch broccolini
How-to:
Wash and pierce the potatoes. Bake at 400 for 50 minutes.
When the potatoes are almost done, soften 2Tbsp butter and goat cheese and mush it together to combine. I soften stuff by putting it in a microwave safe bowl and putting it on top of the toaster oven. The oven gets hot enough to get stuff gooey.
Melt the remaining 0.5Tbsp butter in a pan. Chop the broccolini into bite size bits and add to the pan. Saute for about 2 minutes. Add 1/4c water, cover, and steam for 4 minutes.
When the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, remove and cut a slit in the skin. Squish the ends into the middle slightly so the flesh kinda mounds out and the slit opens. Spoon the cheese mixture into the cavity, then top with broccolini.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Hong Shao Rou - Red Braised Pork Belly
Got to experiment using a cut of meat I've never used before - pork belly. NOT BACON. Whole pork belly, skin on (bones out). As a note, this is a *really* rich dish and you should be good to go with five or six bites of the meat, so this serves about 6. Round out dinner with rice and steamed bok choy or other vegetable.
Mats:
2lbs pork belly
1 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
6 Tbsp (white wine/shaoxing wine)
6 tsp light soy sauce
4 tsp dark soy sauce
1c water
1 bunch green onions, trimmed.
3 cloves garlic
3 inches ginger root, peeled cut into large chunks
2 star anise
1/2c brown sugar
How-to
Cut the pork belly into long strips, about 3/4inch wide. Put them all into a big pot and fill the pot with water. Bring the water to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. You may see all sorts of scum rise to the top - that's good. That's why we're boiling it.
Drain the pot into a colander and rinse the pork strips under cool water to get all the gunk off.
Cut the long strips into little strips about 3/4 inch thick, so you have a cross-section of the belly. Pat dry.
Meanwhile, heat the oil and sugar in large pan on medium heat so the sugar starts to melt.
Toss the pork strips into the hot oil and sugar mixture. Stir around until the pork starts to brown a little.
Add the wine, soy sauces, and water. The liquid level should be about even with the pile of pork.
Add the garlic, ginger chunks, and star anise. These should be under the liquid level.
Set 2 green onions aside, then lay the rest of the bunch on top of the pork. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, then stir and add 1c water to keep the liquid level high. If it's making loud pops, the heat's too high. You want a gentle bubble. When you stir it, scrape the bottom to keep the sugars from burning.
Cover and simmer for another 45 minute (1.5 hours cook time so far), then stir and add 1c water.
Keep covered and simmer for another 45 minutes (2hr, 15 min cook time)
Stir and add 1c water. Sprinkle the 1/2c brown sugar on top, cover and cook for 15min (2hr, 30 min cook time total)
Serve over rice and with a vegetable to round out the dish.
Step-by-step album from /u/PinGuy. I really should take some pictures of my own some day.
Mats:
2lbs pork belly
1 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
6 Tbsp (white wine/shaoxing wine)
6 tsp light soy sauce
4 tsp dark soy sauce
1c water
1 bunch green onions, trimmed.
3 cloves garlic
3 inches ginger root, peeled cut into large chunks
2 star anise
1/2c brown sugar
How-to
Cut the pork belly into long strips, about 3/4inch wide. Put them all into a big pot and fill the pot with water. Bring the water to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. You may see all sorts of scum rise to the top - that's good. That's why we're boiling it.
Drain the pot into a colander and rinse the pork strips under cool water to get all the gunk off.
Cut the long strips into little strips about 3/4 inch thick, so you have a cross-section of the belly. Pat dry.
Meanwhile, heat the oil and sugar in large pan on medium heat so the sugar starts to melt.
Toss the pork strips into the hot oil and sugar mixture. Stir around until the pork starts to brown a little.
Add the wine, soy sauces, and water. The liquid level should be about even with the pile of pork.
Add the garlic, ginger chunks, and star anise. These should be under the liquid level.
Set 2 green onions aside, then lay the rest of the bunch on top of the pork. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, then stir and add 1c water to keep the liquid level high. If it's making loud pops, the heat's too high. You want a gentle bubble. When you stir it, scrape the bottom to keep the sugars from burning.
Cover and simmer for another 45 minute (1.5 hours cook time so far), then stir and add 1c water.
Keep covered and simmer for another 45 minutes (2hr, 15 min cook time)
Stir and add 1c water. Sprinkle the 1/2c brown sugar on top, cover and cook for 15min (2hr, 30 min cook time total)
Serve over rice and with a vegetable to round out the dish.
Step-by-step album from /u/PinGuy. I really should take some pictures of my own some day.
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