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.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Osso Buco
Osso Buco: literally "Bone with a hole" in Italian. Traditionally, it's made with veal shanks, but a) veal is an industry I don't support and b) it's expensive. So get beef shanks instead.
Mats:
2 Bone-in beef shanks
1 onion, peeled and halved crosswise, then sliced into thin crescents
1 carrot, peeled and cut as small as you can (~1/8 inch dice)
1 celery rib, leaves removed, then cut as small as you can (~1/8 inch dice)
1 16oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk fresh rosemary, about 7 inches long. Or 1/2 tsp dried leaves
3 stalks fresh thyme. Or 1/2 tsp dried leaves
3 Tbsp butter
2c red wine
3c chicken or vegetable stock
Flour ~1/2c
~1 tsp salt
How-to
Pre-heat oven to 375F
Lay out the beef shanks and pat dry, pressing to get them as dry as possible. Sprinkle the salt on both sides of the shanks. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Pour the flour into a ziploc bag, then add the beef shanks. Seal and shake so the shanks are covered in flour.
Heat a pan over high heat and add 2 Tbsp of the butter **Important Note: You need to be able to fit both shanks in the pan at the same time without them overlapping** Make sure you use a big enough pan with a lid!
When the butter stops foaming, swirl the butter around in the bottom so everything is covered, then shake the excess flour off the shanks and place in the pan.
Cook for 6 minutes, then flip and cook for 6 more minutes. Then remove the meat to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter, then add the onion, celery and carrot (mirepoix!) Add the minced garlic and cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until onions are golden. Make sure to stir often to scrape up all that delicious fat and brown bits that rendered off the shanks and incorporate them into the vegetables.
Add 1c wine, the can of tomatoes, and 1c stock, stir, and bring to a boil.
When it's boiling, add the rosemary and thyme, then put the beef on top of them. The liquid should be about level or 3/4 of the way up the sides of the shanks. Bring to a boil.
Cover and move the whole pan to the oven. We're going to braise the meat for 2 hours now, so the most important thing is to keep adding liquid as it boils off. So cook for 30 minutes.
Flip and add another cup of stock. Cook for 30 more minutes
Flip again and add the other cup of wine. Cook for 30 *more* minutes.
Flip again and add the third cup of stock. Cook for 30 more minutes.
The shanks should be falling-off-the-bone tender now and easily pierced with a fork. Pull out of the oven and serve. Traditionally it's served over risotto, but I paired it with mashed potatoes.
Mats:
2 Bone-in beef shanks
1 onion, peeled and halved crosswise, then sliced into thin crescents
1 carrot, peeled and cut as small as you can (~1/8 inch dice)
1 celery rib, leaves removed, then cut as small as you can (~1/8 inch dice)
1 16oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk fresh rosemary, about 7 inches long. Or 1/2 tsp dried leaves
3 stalks fresh thyme. Or 1/2 tsp dried leaves
3 Tbsp butter
2c red wine
3c chicken or vegetable stock
Flour ~1/2c
~1 tsp salt
How-to
Pre-heat oven to 375F
Lay out the beef shanks and pat dry, pressing to get them as dry as possible. Sprinkle the salt on both sides of the shanks. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Pour the flour into a ziploc bag, then add the beef shanks. Seal and shake so the shanks are covered in flour.
Heat a pan over high heat and add 2 Tbsp of the butter **Important Note: You need to be able to fit both shanks in the pan at the same time without them overlapping** Make sure you use a big enough pan with a lid!
When the butter stops foaming, swirl the butter around in the bottom so everything is covered, then shake the excess flour off the shanks and place in the pan.
Cook for 6 minutes, then flip and cook for 6 more minutes. Then remove the meat to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter, then add the onion, celery and carrot (mirepoix!) Add the minced garlic and cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until onions are golden. Make sure to stir often to scrape up all that delicious fat and brown bits that rendered off the shanks and incorporate them into the vegetables.
Add 1c wine, the can of tomatoes, and 1c stock, stir, and bring to a boil.
When it's boiling, add the rosemary and thyme, then put the beef on top of them. The liquid should be about level or 3/4 of the way up the sides of the shanks. Bring to a boil.
Cover and move the whole pan to the oven. We're going to braise the meat for 2 hours now, so the most important thing is to keep adding liquid as it boils off. So cook for 30 minutes.
Flip and add another cup of stock. Cook for 30 more minutes
Flip again and add the other cup of wine. Cook for 30 *more* minutes.
Flip again and add the third cup of stock. Cook for 30 more minutes.
The shanks should be falling-off-the-bone tender now and easily pierced with a fork. Pull out of the oven and serve. Traditionally it's served over risotto, but I paired it with mashed potatoes.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Sausage Barley Soup
I like barley a lot. My mum would make a spinach soup with these tiny little meatballs in it that I adored, but I often just don't have the energy to make dozens of tiny little meatballs.
Mats:
1lb Italian sweet sausage (or hot, but I don't like hot)
1/2c pearl barley, uncooked
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1cm rounds
8 cups/16 oz/1 box chicken stock. Or two cubes of chicken bullions + 4c water
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp tomato paste. Or 1 can diced tomatoes with liquid and omit the extra 2c water
Optional: 10 oz frozen chopped spinach. Don't defrost or drain it.
How-To
Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage links and cook for 4 minutes, then rotate and cook for another 4. You don't need them cooked through, just a little char on the outside. Remove the links to a cutting board and cool.
Meanwhile in the same pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until onion starts becoming translucent
Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
Add the chicken stock and 2 additional cups of water. **Note** if you're using the can of diced tomato and liquid instead of the tomato paste, omit the additional water.
Stir in the basil, oregano and 1/2c of barley.
Cut your cooled sausage into 2cm rounds, then add into the soup, along with any juices. I find a knife with a serrated blade is best for cutting partially-cooked sausage.
Reduce heat to medium-low and boil for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, add the sliced carrots and the block of frozen spinach. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve, topping with grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
Mats:
1lb Italian sweet sausage (or hot, but I don't like hot)
1/2c pearl barley, uncooked
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1cm rounds
8 cups/16 oz/1 box chicken stock. Or two cubes of chicken bullions + 4c water
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp tomato paste. Or 1 can diced tomatoes with liquid and omit the extra 2c water
Optional: 10 oz frozen chopped spinach. Don't defrost or drain it.
How-To
Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage links and cook for 4 minutes, then rotate and cook for another 4. You don't need them cooked through, just a little char on the outside. Remove the links to a cutting board and cool.
Meanwhile in the same pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until onion starts becoming translucent
Add garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
Add the chicken stock and 2 additional cups of water. **Note** if you're using the can of diced tomato and liquid instead of the tomato paste, omit the additional water.
Stir in the basil, oregano and 1/2c of barley.
Cut your cooled sausage into 2cm rounds, then add into the soup, along with any juices. I find a knife with a serrated blade is best for cutting partially-cooked sausage.
Reduce heat to medium-low and boil for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, add the sliced carrots and the block of frozen spinach. Cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve, topping with grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Barley with Red Kuri and Thyme Sauce
You can cut the prep time of this dish drastically if you use brown rice instead of barley. Barley is nice and chewy, but some might not like the consistency of an unfamiliar grain.
Mats:
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups red kuri squash
1 Tbsp butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4c heavy cream
2 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dried)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp apple vinegar (I used red apple balsamic, but apple cider is also good)
1/2c feta cheese, crumbled
How-to:
Cook the barley. 1 cup of barley, 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium low, cook for 45-50 minutes.
Meanwhile, cube the squash. Cut the stem off the top, then split the squash. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon (like you would with a butternut squash or a pumpkin). Slice the squash into cubes. You don't have to peel it! Just give it a good scrub before chopping up and the rind of the plant is delicious.
Put the cubed squash into a medium pot and fill with water. Bring to a full boil and cook for 10 minutes or until the squash is tender. You need to be able to easily pierce the rind-side with a fork.
Drain the squash, reserving 3/4c of the cooking water.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute for 7 minutes or until translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 more minute, then remove from heat.
Put the squash, thyme, nutmeg, cream, and 2/3c of the reserved cooking water into a food processor and puree. If it's too thick and your processor is seizing up, add the rest of the reserved water. Process until you have a smooth sauce with no visible lumps.
Hopefully your barley is done cooking now, so dump that in a big serving bowl and add the onion/garlic mixture and pour the squash puree over top. Stir in the apple vinegar.
When serving, sprinkle the feta cheese on top and enjoy.
Mats:
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups red kuri squash
1 Tbsp butter
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4c heavy cream
2 Tbsp fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dried)
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp apple vinegar (I used red apple balsamic, but apple cider is also good)
1/2c feta cheese, crumbled
How-to:
Cook the barley. 1 cup of barley, 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium low, cook for 45-50 minutes.
Meanwhile, cube the squash. Cut the stem off the top, then split the squash. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh with a spoon (like you would with a butternut squash or a pumpkin). Slice the squash into cubes. You don't have to peel it! Just give it a good scrub before chopping up and the rind of the plant is delicious.
Put the cubed squash into a medium pot and fill with water. Bring to a full boil and cook for 10 minutes or until the squash is tender. You need to be able to easily pierce the rind-side with a fork.
Drain the squash, reserving 3/4c of the cooking water.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute for 7 minutes or until translucent. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 more minute, then remove from heat.
Put the squash, thyme, nutmeg, cream, and 2/3c of the reserved cooking water into a food processor and puree. If it's too thick and your processor is seizing up, add the rest of the reserved water. Process until you have a smooth sauce with no visible lumps.
Hopefully your barley is done cooking now, so dump that in a big serving bowl and add the onion/garlic mixture and pour the squash puree over top. Stir in the apple vinegar.
When serving, sprinkle the feta cheese on top and enjoy.
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Pasta with Marinara-'Cream' Sauce and garlic breadcrumbs
This recipe uses pureed cashews to fake a cream sauce.
Mats - serves 4
1 recipe of Pasta Sauce
1 1/2 roasted, UNSALTED cashews
4 slices sourdough bread
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp butter
1 lb pasta of choice. I use penne because it's easy to eat.
How-to
Soak the cashews in enough water to cover them for 2 hours, or overnight. This softens them so the sauce will be creamier, but you can skip this step if you're pressed for time.
Heat the pasta sauce in a small pot.
Add the soaked cashews to a food processor, then add 1/2c of the soaking water (or regular water if you didn't soak them). Blend until smooth. If the cashews are a bit chunky still, add water at 1/4c at a time until it's smooth as you can get it.
Prepare the pasta according to directions on the box.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Gouge the middle of the bread out and crumble it into crumbs. Add it to the melted butter.
Add the garlic powder to the breadcrumbs and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often so your breadcrumbs don't burn.
While the pasta is cooking, add the pureed cashews to the warm pasta sauce, stir to combine, and heat through.
Drain the pasta, top with the warm sauce and sprinkle the garlic breadcrumbs on top. I also tossed some Parmesan cheese and sliced kalamata olives in there as well.
Mats - serves 4
1 recipe of Pasta Sauce
1 1/2 roasted, UNSALTED cashews
4 slices sourdough bread
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp butter
1 lb pasta of choice. I use penne because it's easy to eat.
How-to
Soak the cashews in enough water to cover them for 2 hours, or overnight. This softens them so the sauce will be creamier, but you can skip this step if you're pressed for time.
Heat the pasta sauce in a small pot.
Add the soaked cashews to a food processor, then add 1/2c of the soaking water (or regular water if you didn't soak them). Blend until smooth. If the cashews are a bit chunky still, add water at 1/4c at a time until it's smooth as you can get it.
Prepare the pasta according to directions on the box.
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Gouge the middle of the bread out and crumble it into crumbs. Add it to the melted butter.
Add the garlic powder to the breadcrumbs and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often so your breadcrumbs don't burn.
While the pasta is cooking, add the pureed cashews to the warm pasta sauce, stir to combine, and heat through.
Drain the pasta, top with the warm sauce and sprinkle the garlic breadcrumbs on top. I also tossed some Parmesan cheese and sliced kalamata olives in there as well.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Fruit Tarts
This does not qualify as a 'healthy' meal by any stretch of the imagination, but it was so tasty I want to add it to my repertoire. Slightly time-consuming though.
Crust
1/2c butter, softened to room temperature
1/4c white sugar
1 1/2c flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
Beat the butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and mix until lightly combined.
Add beaten egg and mix until smooth
Add flour in small increments, mixing gently until it forms a stiff dough.
Put the dough ball on a sheet of wax paper, flatten into a disc and freeze for 15 minutes
Press the dough into your tin of choice (I don't have a tart tin so I used little cupcake-sized holders. They were the kind you can bake without a separate tin, and they worked surprisingly well).
Prick the bottoms of the tart crust with a fork gently to keep it from puffing up.
Heat oven to 400, bake for 5 minutes
Reduce heat to 350, bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool COMPLETELY before filling otherwise your custard might curdle.
New, Improved, Gluten-Free Crust: when flour does not love the ones you love
2c almond flour
1/4c white sugar
1/8tsp salt
1/4c butter, softened
1 egg
1/4tsp vanilla
Mix the dry ingredients together
Cut in the soften butter and mix until loose crumbs form
Add the egg and vanilla, mix some more.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Same caveats apply in regards to cooling.
Custard
1 1/4c whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/4c white sugar
4Tbsp cornstarch
1tsp vanilla extract
I've found the key to the custard is to do all the prep steps first and MOVE QUICKLY. Measure everything out and have all the bowls ready to do the assembly process.
Beat the egg yolks. Add the sugar to the yolks and stir to combine. This should happen in a large, heatproof bowl.
At the same time, bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Use medium-low heat and keep an eye on it, stirring it as much as you can.
Add the cornstarch/flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture and stir until it resembles a paste.
When the milk is starting to boil, remove the pan from heat and pour some of the hot milk into a measuring cup.
Very, very, VERY slowly, pour the hot milk into the egg paste, stirring all the time. We're talking add drops at a time and whisk like a maniac, scraping the sides of the bowl and trying to get all the egg incorporated.
When you've mixed about 3/4c of the hot milk into the egg, return all of the egg mixture and all the remaining milk to the saucepan. Bring to a boil on the lowest possible heat setting.
Never stop whisking.
Add the vanilla extract.
Keep whisking.
When it starts to boil, let it boil for 45 seconds.
Keep whisking.. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as much as you can manage.
Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make the plastic wrap touch the top of the custard so a skin won't form. Refrigerate until you need to use it.
Glaze
Heat 1/4c jelly or jam in fruit of your choice with 1Tbsp water until the jelly goes back to being a liquid.
Assembling
Take the crust, spoon the cool custard on top of it, top with fruits that you like. I used berries. Avoid 'drippy' fruits like pineapple. Spoon the cooled glaze over top, cover again with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Crust
1/2c butter, softened to room temperature
1/4c white sugar
1 1/2c flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
Beat the butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and mix until lightly combined.
Add beaten egg and mix until smooth
Add flour in small increments, mixing gently until it forms a stiff dough.
Put the dough ball on a sheet of wax paper, flatten into a disc and freeze for 15 minutes
Press the dough into your tin of choice (I don't have a tart tin so I used little cupcake-sized holders. They were the kind you can bake without a separate tin, and they worked surprisingly well).
Prick the bottoms of the tart crust with a fork gently to keep it from puffing up.
Heat oven to 400, bake for 5 minutes
Reduce heat to 350, bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool COMPLETELY before filling otherwise your custard might curdle.
New, Improved, Gluten-Free Crust: when flour does not love the ones you love
2c almond flour
1/4c white sugar
1/8tsp salt
1/4c butter, softened
1 egg
1/4tsp vanilla
Mix the dry ingredients together
Cut in the soften butter and mix until loose crumbs form
Add the egg and vanilla, mix some more.
Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
Same caveats apply in regards to cooling.
Custard
1 1/4c whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/4c white sugar
4Tbsp cornstarch
1tsp vanilla extract
I've found the key to the custard is to do all the prep steps first and MOVE QUICKLY. Measure everything out and have all the bowls ready to do the assembly process.
Beat the egg yolks. Add the sugar to the yolks and stir to combine. This should happen in a large, heatproof bowl.
At the same time, bring the milk to a boil in a saucepan. Use medium-low heat and keep an eye on it, stirring it as much as you can.
Add the cornstarch/flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture and stir until it resembles a paste.
When the milk is starting to boil, remove the pan from heat and pour some of the hot milk into a measuring cup.
Very, very, VERY slowly, pour the hot milk into the egg paste, stirring all the time. We're talking add drops at a time and whisk like a maniac, scraping the sides of the bowl and trying to get all the egg incorporated.
When you've mixed about 3/4c of the hot milk into the egg, return all of the egg mixture and all the remaining milk to the saucepan. Bring to a boil on the lowest possible heat setting.
Never stop whisking.
Add the vanilla extract.
Keep whisking.
When it starts to boil, let it boil for 45 seconds.
Keep whisking.. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan as much as you can manage.
Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make the plastic wrap touch the top of the custard so a skin won't form. Refrigerate until you need to use it.
Glaze
Heat 1/4c jelly or jam in fruit of your choice with 1Tbsp water until the jelly goes back to being a liquid.
Assembling
Take the crust, spoon the cool custard on top of it, top with fruits that you like. I used berries. Avoid 'drippy' fruits like pineapple. Spoon the cooled glaze over top, cover again with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Pasta "Alfredo"
Again, this is not a real alfredo recipe. Dairy and I do not get along well, but that doesn't mean I stop looking for delicious alternatives. And this is *miles* better than my previous attempt.
Mats:
1 lb spiral pasta - I used cavateppi
1 head cauliflower, florets removed from stem
1 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp olive oil
2c almond milk
Optional tasty add-ins - I used sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives
How-To
Heat oven to 425. In a baking dish, toss the cauliflower florets, chopped onion and WHOLE garlic cloves in the oil. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork.
When the veggies are done, blend with the almond milk in a food processor. You'll probably need to do it in two batches unless you have a really big machine. You want a very smooth consistency. If it's too chunky, add a bit more milk until you have a thick, but smooth, almost-paste.
While the sauce is processing, heat a big pot of water until boiling, then cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour into a big bowl.
Add the sauce and any add-ins to the pasta and stir
Mats:
1 lb spiral pasta - I used cavateppi
1 head cauliflower, florets removed from stem
1 onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 Tbsp olive oil
2c almond milk
Optional tasty add-ins - I used sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives
How-To
Heat oven to 425. In a baking dish, toss the cauliflower florets, chopped onion and WHOLE garlic cloves in the oil. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork.
When the veggies are done, blend with the almond milk in a food processor. You'll probably need to do it in two batches unless you have a really big machine. You want a very smooth consistency. If it's too chunky, add a bit more milk until you have a thick, but smooth, almost-paste.
While the sauce is processing, heat a big pot of water until boiling, then cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and pour into a big bowl.
Add the sauce and any add-ins to the pasta and stir
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