For the manly chefs! And don't forget to shout Opa! when presenting your flamed item for consumption.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Vegetable Stew in a Pumpkin Shell
Here's a link to the Vegetable Stew in a Pumpkin Shell recipe used for Thanksgiving Dinner at Zeb's in 2008.
Chili Con Buffalo
Hiya folks
Got a recipe here for some Buffalo chili that Becky and I whipped up the other day. It was so tasty I figured I'd share it even though it's not related to Thanksgiving. It's pretty easy to make but you may want to cut down on the amounts used for ingredients. We cooked a huge batch so there would be leftovers.
Ingredients:
3 red bell peppers
3 jalapeno peppers
olive oil
1 large white onion
1 large red onion
6-8 cloves of garlic
dried sage
2 lbs ground buffalo
salt
pepper
sage
1/2-3/4 cup red wine
2 cans of whole foods kidney beans
1 can of whole foods white beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
cumin
salt
pepper
paprika
chili powder or habanero sauce
To start fire up the oven to 350
Slather all 6 peppers with olive oil and put them on a baking sheet in the oven. Roast until they are squishy and parts of the skin are brown.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the onions and put in a large saute pan with a decent amount of olive oil. After a minute or two (or if you're like me when you're done chopping it) toss in the garlic. Wait until the onions and garlic are almost completely browned and put in some dried sage. I used 3 or 4 dried leaves from the plant in the back yard. A couple teaspoons or even a tablespoon would be sufficient I think but I like the taste of sage, especially with buffalo.
Once the onions and garlic are nicely caramelized dump in the buffalo and start breaking it into small chunks, stirring frequently. When the meat starts to brown dump in the red wine in order to keep some moisture in the pan. The meat should have some contact with the onion, garlic mixture before the wine is added so it can absorb some of those flavors, at least that's the thought. After the wine is in the pan add about a teaspoon of salt and fresh ground black pepper. Stir until fully browned then turn down the heat to low and cover the pan.
The peppers should be finished by this point so pull them out of the oven and deskin. I find this easiest to do under a slow trickle of warm water. The peppers should be tender enough to easily tear apart but not disintegrating. Get rid of the skins, the stem, and the seeds then mince the peppers and add them to the meat.
Put the beans and the tomatoes in a large pot and turn to medium high heat. Immediately add the meat to the pot and allow to simmer. There are two schools of thought here, first is to not drain the beans and tomatoes and second is to drain the beans but not the tomatoes. When making this recently we followed method one, no draining. The chili was overly wet and we had to boil the whole mess for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid. I think this may have had the effect of really boiling all the tasty flavors together but I don't know as I've yet to try method two.
Stir the chili to combine the ingredients and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add cumin until you can taste it. I know this is inexact but I'd say it was a tablespoon, maybe more. Add salt and pepper to taste, tho' beware as the chili is hot and if you're me you'll burn your tongue. Almost a tablespoon of salt might be a reasonable measure for how much I put in. Several teaspoons of paprika to give a bit of spice and that chili color that we expect. More sage can be added at this stage as well. For heat some chili powder or habanero sauce can be used. Tabasco is frowned upon because of the vinegar taste that it brings (plus it's cayenne). I bought a bottle of Hula Girl at the Alien Fresh Jerky store in Baker, CA and used two healthy dashes of that to make a decently spicy chili. Since I know not everyone loves the spicy food like me I'll leave that part of the flavoring up to the cook.
Hope you enjoy.
Got a recipe here for some Buffalo chili that Becky and I whipped up the other day. It was so tasty I figured I'd share it even though it's not related to Thanksgiving. It's pretty easy to make but you may want to cut down on the amounts used for ingredients. We cooked a huge batch so there would be leftovers.
Ingredients:
3 red bell peppers
3 jalapeno peppers
olive oil
1 large white onion
1 large red onion
6-8 cloves of garlic
dried sage
2 lbs ground buffalo
salt
pepper
sage
1/2-3/4 cup red wine
2 cans of whole foods kidney beans
1 can of whole foods white beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
cumin
salt
pepper
paprika
chili powder or habanero sauce
To start fire up the oven to 350
Slather all 6 peppers with olive oil and put them on a baking sheet in the oven. Roast until they are squishy and parts of the skin are brown.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the onions and put in a large saute pan with a decent amount of olive oil. After a minute or two (or if you're like me when you're done chopping it) toss in the garlic. Wait until the onions and garlic are almost completely browned and put in some dried sage. I used 3 or 4 dried leaves from the plant in the back yard. A couple teaspoons or even a tablespoon would be sufficient I think but I like the taste of sage, especially with buffalo.
Once the onions and garlic are nicely caramelized dump in the buffalo and start breaking it into small chunks, stirring frequently. When the meat starts to brown dump in the red wine in order to keep some moisture in the pan. The meat should have some contact with the onion, garlic mixture before the wine is added so it can absorb some of those flavors, at least that's the thought. After the wine is in the pan add about a teaspoon of salt and fresh ground black pepper. Stir until fully browned then turn down the heat to low and cover the pan.
The peppers should be finished by this point so pull them out of the oven and deskin. I find this easiest to do under a slow trickle of warm water. The peppers should be tender enough to easily tear apart but not disintegrating. Get rid of the skins, the stem, and the seeds then mince the peppers and add them to the meat.
Put the beans and the tomatoes in a large pot and turn to medium high heat. Immediately add the meat to the pot and allow to simmer. There are two schools of thought here, first is to not drain the beans and tomatoes and second is to drain the beans but not the tomatoes. When making this recently we followed method one, no draining. The chili was overly wet and we had to boil the whole mess for 10 minutes to reduce the liquid. I think this may have had the effect of really boiling all the tasty flavors together but I don't know as I've yet to try method two.
Stir the chili to combine the ingredients and allow to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add cumin until you can taste it. I know this is inexact but I'd say it was a tablespoon, maybe more. Add salt and pepper to taste, tho' beware as the chili is hot and if you're me you'll burn your tongue. Almost a tablespoon of salt might be a reasonable measure for how much I put in. Several teaspoons of paprika to give a bit of spice and that chili color that we expect. More sage can be added at this stage as well. For heat some chili powder or habanero sauce can be used. Tabasco is frowned upon because of the vinegar taste that it brings (plus it's cayenne). I bought a bottle of Hula Girl at the Alien Fresh Jerky store in Baker, CA and used two healthy dashes of that to make a decently spicy chili. Since I know not everyone loves the spicy food like me I'll leave that part of the flavoring up to the cook.
Hope you enjoy.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Romancing the Risotto
So here's our Goat-Cheesy Mushroom Risotto. The recipe is mostly plagiarized from Tyler Florence with some simplifications. I'm not honestly sure how much cheese I ended up putting in, but I've decided 2 cups is a nice round number. The more the merrier! And be sure to taste it before seasoning since the cheese is very salty.
Ingredients
8 cups chicken broth, low sodium3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh mushrooms (button, portobello, whatever), sliced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Directions
Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, herbs and butter to the mix. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes until lightly browned, season with salt and pepper.
Coat a saucepan with remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute the garlic cloves. Add the rice and stir quickly until it is well-coated and opaque, 1 minute. This step cooks the starchy coating and prevents the grains from sticking. Stir in wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.
Add 1 cup of the warm broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time. Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture. Dump in the cheese, and stir until melted.
Enjoy hot and gooey!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Our Jobs Are Not Safe!
And I'm not talking about the recession here--I'm talking about robots replacing our short-order chefs. First, it's okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake concoctions) . . . next, it will be bacon, chocolate chip cookies, and bacon chocolate chip cookies!
A Childhood Friend and Something for Tiernan if she's stuck with no oven ever again!
Eclairs:
1 Cup boiling water
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup brown rice flour (or any other flour you prefer)
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 425*. Melt butter in boiling water, then stir in flour. Add eggs one at a time until the dough forms a ball in the center of the pan. Form dough into oblong shapes, and place on a buttered baking sheet in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 325* and bake for 1/2 hour. Cool. Then fill with Lemon Pudding or whipped cream. Top with Carob or Chocolate Syrup.
Lemon Pudding:
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup honey (or more, to taste)
3 T arrowroot powder
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
Bring 1 1/2 cups water and the honey to a boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile, add arrowroot powder to 1/4 cup water and mix well. Pour arrowroot mixture into the boiling mixture. Boil on low for about 5 minutes. Stir in eggs and cook for a few minutes on low heat. Stir in lemon juice and refrigerate. (any fruit juicer may be used in place of the lemon juice and chopped fruit may be added.)
Top of the Stove Cookies:
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 cup milk powder
2 T nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins
Mix dry ingredients, then cut butter into dry mixture. Beat egg, honey, and milk, then combine with dry ingredients and butter. Stir in raisins. Roll out dough on a floured board and cut dough 1/4 inch thick with a two-inch cookie cutter. Cook on a lightly oiled griddle until lightly browned.
1 Cup boiling water
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup brown rice flour (or any other flour you prefer)
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 425*. Melt butter in boiling water, then stir in flour. Add eggs one at a time until the dough forms a ball in the center of the pan. Form dough into oblong shapes, and place on a buttered baking sheet in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 325* and bake for 1/2 hour. Cool. Then fill with Lemon Pudding or whipped cream. Top with Carob or Chocolate Syrup.
Lemon Pudding:
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup honey (or more, to taste)
3 T arrowroot powder
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
Bring 1 1/2 cups water and the honey to a boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile, add arrowroot powder to 1/4 cup water and mix well. Pour arrowroot mixture into the boiling mixture. Boil on low for about 5 minutes. Stir in eggs and cook for a few minutes on low heat. Stir in lemon juice and refrigerate. (any fruit juicer may be used in place of the lemon juice and chopped fruit may be added.)
Top of the Stove Cookies:
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 cup milk powder
2 T nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins
Mix dry ingredients, then cut butter into dry mixture. Beat egg, honey, and milk, then combine with dry ingredients and butter. Stir in raisins. Roll out dough on a floured board and cut dough 1/4 inch thick with a two-inch cookie cutter. Cook on a lightly oiled griddle until lightly browned.
First!!!!
I was just going to do this T. Thanks.
I'll kick it off with the two bread recipes that I made in Texas. First up is a simple Boule. It's from the Food Network. Becky and I have been watching a show called "Dinner Impossible". The premise of the show is that the host, Michael Symon (used to be Robert Irvine), has to cook a dinner for a bunch of people (as low as 100 but as high as 250. I've only seen a few episodes) in five hours.
Here are the basic ingredients and a link for the instructions.
The Challah recipe was taken from a website that Becky found. I think that the bread could benefit from a little bit more sweetener. I substituted honey for the sugar straight up and followed the instructions normally. I think I ended up kneading in a little more flour than would normally be called for but was very happy with the results.
I'll kick it off with the two bread recipes that I made in Texas. First up is a simple Boule. It's from the Food Network. Becky and I have been watching a show called "Dinner Impossible". The premise of the show is that the host, Michael Symon (used to be Robert Irvine), has to cook a dinner for a bunch of people (as low as 100 but as high as 250. I've only seen a few episodes) in five hours.
Here are the basic ingredients and a link for the instructions.
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 (1/4-ounce) packet fresh fast-acting yeast
- 1 1/2 cups warm water, between 100 and 115 degrees F, as measured with a candy thermometer (any hotter will kill the yeast - an organic leavener; too cool and the yeast won't be activated)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus some extra for kneading
- 1/4 cup melted butter
The Challah recipe was taken from a website that Becky found. I think that the bread could benefit from a little bit more sweetener. I substituted honey for the sugar straight up and followed the instructions normally. I think I ended up kneading in a little more flour than would normally be called for but was very happy with the results.
- 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 5 eggs
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)
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